COVID-19 testing clinics and laboratories in NSW are being overwhelmed by demand, driving up the time taken to process tests and delaying diagnoses.
Healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 in New South Wales will be able to leave isolation and return to work after seven days instead of 14 under new guidelines.
NSW Health has moved to reduce the time healthcare staff who are close contacts need to avoid high risk settings, such as hospitals.
Workers will need to have a negative PCR test on day six and follow a risk assessment plan before returning to work.
The plan includes daily rapid antigen testing and wearing a mask at all times.
Healthcare workers exposed in the community in a social setting will be able to return to work after a negative PCR test on day two and people exposed in the workplace will have their isolation and testing requirements determined by a workplace risk assessment.
The change comes after 2,000 NSW healthcare workers were furloughed.
Hospitals, testing sites overwhelmed
As NSW’s testing sites and hospitals come under pressure, the government has asked people not to get tested unless they have symptoms, need a PCR test to travel, or are advised by authorities to get swabbed.
“What we can’t have are people sitting in testing queues which takes away from people who are unwell and who need that test because we want to get those tests back as quickly as possible,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said .
“I would like everybody to think about whether or not you really need to call an ambulance, number one, and number two, [if you need to] go to hospital,” Mr Hazzard added.
Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard on Sunday pleaded with people not to show up at the emergency department unless they experience difficulty breathing, have chest pain or feel “significantly unwell”.
It comes as record numbers of daily COVID-19 cases were reported as Australians hit Boxing Day sales.
NSW posted a national record of daily infections, reporting 6,324 cases and 3 deaths.
Victoria recorded 2738 cases and 4 deaths. In Queensland,1158 infections were reported.
South Australia had 995 new cases, while Western Australia reported one case that tested positive while in quarantine.
ACT records 252 new COVID-19 cases as police call for patience in testing queues
Tasmania records 43 new COVID-19 cases
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