MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has called for more local COVID testing sites to be set up with longer operating hours.
It comes as a second site was set up at Aerodrome Ovals in Mildura West on Monday afternoon in response to huge demand at the drive-through clinic at Mildura Recreation Reserve.
Ms Cupper said that “a few” sites should be urgently put in place to stop the testing “go-slow”.
“We don’t have enough resources here,” the frustrated independent MP said.
“We need the surge-capacity teams here from Melbourne and Bendigo so we can operate a few of these (drive-through) clinics, not just one.
“And the clinic needs to be open for longer hours than just 9am-4pm. That’s just silly, that is.
“That feels like we’re on a go-slow and it’s certainly not a time for that.
“We need to make sure that anyone who needs to get a test can get one straight away.
“It’s almost unheard of to have a closing time of 4pm, two days after we’ve notified of a case of the Delta variant in a regional city.”
Ms Cupper is also concerned about the mixed health advice coming from state authorities.
“We have many people trying to do the right thing to go and get tested if they have symptoms, including me,” she said.
“I was concerned yesterday when Sunraysia Community Health made a determination that (testing) would only be for people who had been contacted by DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services).
“This was in complete contradiction to 18 months’ worth of advice from the State Government that if you have flu-like symptoms you should get tested. So this was concerning.
“I was pleased to hear this morning that they would be providing unequivocal messaging to say that anyone is entitled to go get a test.
“But unfortunately that was contradicted hours later.”
Ms Cupper also called for calm from locals fearing with worst with two positive cases now reported in Mildura.
“We don’t need people panicking and turning up for a test,” she said.
“It’s only if you’ve got symptoms or if you have been to an exposure site, otherwise you don’t need to be panicking.
“People need to know that help is on the way.”
Bendigo Health Chief Health Officer Diana Badcock said opening hours, which are currently running from 9am to 4pm, may increase with the staff arriving from Bendigo and Albury Wodonga.
“It is possible the hours will increase but it will be judged day by day depending on the staffing,” she said.
