Covid-19 test times blow out, as ‘there is just not enough available’

Gold Coasters’ are waiting hours in Covid-19 testing lines, with one woman questioning how many sick people are going without necessary healthcare due to lengthy queues.

GOLD Coasters’ are waiting hours in Covid-19 testing lines, with one woman questioning how many sick people are going without necessary healthcare due to lengthy queues.

The woman, who did not want to be named, went to a Southport testing site about 6.45am Sunday as she had a sore throat, but wasn’t seen for six hours.

She said an ambulance was required a couple of hours in because “someone was so sick in their car”, the woman claimed.

“They (paramedics) had to get them out of here,” she said.

There were hundreds of cars lined up for Covid testing at Southport today. 2 January 2022 Southport Picture by Richard Gosling

“They got the person out of the car … put her on a stretcher and into the ambulance.”

Gold Coast Health took to social media just after noon to announce testing sites had closed.

“The lines for Covid-19 testing at Gold Coast Health facilities have closed for today,” a post on Facebook said.

“There is a four-hour wait for people in the line now, who will be tested by the 4.30pm closing time. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

The woman also questioned why private centres were closed with the blowout in cases.

“What are people left with? There’s just not enough available,” she said.

There were hundreds of cars lined up for Covid testing at Southport today. 2 January 2022 Southport Picture by Richard Gosling

“The whole situation is disgusting. If there are people that sick coming to get Covid tests, how many people are just not coming to get them because the line (is too long).

“I’m coming up to five hours (of waiting) – how do you expect sick people to do that?”

The woman said rapid antigen tests were needed and more testing sites opened to help alleviate long queues.

Safety fears

December 27

Long queues at Covid-19 testing sites have sparked safety fears, with one Surfers Paradise resident calling for urgent changes to prevent a potential tragedy.

The line at 4Cyte Pathology testing clinic in Surfers was already snaking down Ferny Ave on Monday morning.

Other sites across the Coast have reported wait time blowouts of up to six hours, with wait times for results exceeding 110 hours.

Resident Jewell Rollins said the Ferny Ave clinic was so jam-packed, people were forced to walk on the busy road instead of the footpath when trying to get past it.

“I have been watching it every day since it started – it gets worse every day,” she said.

“Someone could easily walk out in front of an oncoming car.”

A long line at the Covid-19 testing site at Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise. Picture: Jewell Rollins

She said it was heartbreaking to watch those lined up for hours get turned away every day at noon when the clinic closes.

“They should do away with testing altogether. Covid is here, what’s the point of testing,” Ms Jewell said.

“We’re all over it now, we have to live with it and these people on holidays should be able to enjoy themselves without getting a test.

“The Gold Coast and Surfers had such a bad time during the pandemic.

“It certainly would not make people feel like coming here on holiday if you have to go to this trouble.”

Covid-19 testing on Ferry Road, Southport. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Wait times of up to six hours for Covid-19 tests are being reported at the QML testing centre at Southport’s Smith Collective.

Community members have called for shade and toilets to be made available at other sites.

Meanwhile, Gold Coast Olympic swimming star Brooke Hanson revealed the extreme lengths her family of five had to go through to get a test.

“Crazy times – my husband needs to get back to work in Qld as a firefighter but we can’t even get a test,” she told her Instagram followers.

“We were at Coffs Harbour drive through clinic early (Sunday) morning and got turned away.

“Drove 100kms to Kempsey (and) all clinics (were) booked out for the day.”

Brooke Hanson and her family were forced to sleep in their car on Sunday night so they could be tested on Monday morning. Picture: Instagram

Ms Hanson’s family was forced to sleep in their car on Sunday night to successfully get their test and enter Queensland on Monday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced testing capacity would be increased on the Gold Coast and various other parts of Queensland.

Ms Palaszczuk acknowledged reports of lengthy wait times at testing sites – and delays receiving results – and said “we are increasing capacity”.

“The issue is some of the private clinics have actually shut down over the Christmas and New Year period,” she said.

“That’s why our testing clinics are going to ramp up over that period.

“Once we get through New Year’s we’ll pretty much be back to normal.”

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Originally published as Covid-19 test times blow out, as ‘there is just not enough available’