An increase in demand for COVID-19 testing has prompted the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Heath District to establish a drive-through facility at Albion Park Showground.
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The announcement comes as 19 cases were diagnosed across the state yesterday.
The drive-through testing clinic will be open from Friday, 24 July and will be operational weekdays, Monday to Friday from 8am - 4pm.
ISLHD Acting Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery, Brad Scotcher said the aim was to provide fast and convenient testing options to local residents who may require this service.
"Plans for the clinic, including traffic flow considerations, have also been developed in a way that is intended to minimise disruption to local residents and businesses," he said.
"As cases in NSW resulting from community transmission continue to be reported, we are calling on the community to redouble its efforts to stop the virus spreading.
"This additional clinic will help make it as easy as possible for people to be tested locally."
The drive-through testing clinic has been established in accordance with the guidelines developed by the NSW COVID-19 Response State Health Emergency Operations Centre.
There are a number of other testing facilities within the local health district, including the free community COVID-19 Assessment Clinics located at Wollongong, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven Hospitals.
A full list of COVID-19 testing clinics in NSW is available on the NSW Health website. People can also visit their GP for testing.
Meantime, there were 19 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm on July 22, bringing the total number of cases in state to 3,444.
There were 24,640 tests carried out in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 18,465 tests in the previous 24 hours.
Over the past week NSW Health has seen record numbers of people being tested, with 153,195 tests undertaken across NSW in the last week compared with 99,875 the previous week.
The new cases include three people associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster; nine people associated with the Thai Rock restaurant cluster; three cases are still under investigation.
One south western Sydney resident who acquired their infection in Victoria has been self-isolating since arriving in NSW and there are three returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
One of the cases associated today with the Thai Rock cluster is a child who attended Tomaree Public School. The school will is closed today while contact tracing and cleaning is underway.
Another case associated with the Thai Rock cluster is a young child who attends Goodstart Early Learning Anna Bay. The centre will be closed today while contact tracing and cleaning is underway.
Hunter New England Local Health District is urging anyone who visited the following locations to watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested immediately should any respiratory symptoms or fever occur.
This includes Salamander Bay Village Woolworths on 17 July between 2.30pm to closing time, 18 July between 4pm to closing time, 19 July between 12.45pm to closing time, and 20 July between 3pm to closing time as well as the Fingal Bay Café and Takeaway on 17 July between 11.30am - 12 midday.
The Woolworths store has been deep cleaned overnight with extra attention to touch points. The Café has also been thoroughly cleaned and there is no ongoing risk to the community at this venue.
Five more Victorians, including a man in his 50s, have died in the past 24 hours and the state has recorded 403 new coronavirus cases.
It is critical that anyone feeling unwell, even with the mildest of symptoms such as a runny nose or scratchy throat, seeks testing and self-isolates until they get the result.
The health advice is to stay at home, and do not go to work or catch public transport until you are cleared of COVID-19.
People who work in high-risk settings such as healthcare facilities or aged care homes must not attend work if they have symptoms and must get tested immediately.
People should also not visit relatives in these settings if they have even the mildest of symptoms or have recently returned from Victoria or attended any of the affected venues reported on the NSW Government website.
It is essential people follow directions they receive about home isolation and quarantine and maintain COVID-safe practices of physical distancing of 1.5 metres, cough or sneeze into their elbow, and regularly wash their hands for at least 20 seconds each time.
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