Ulladulla's pop-up Covid-19 Testing Clinic will open Saturdays from tomorrow July 25 to cater for the growing number of people seeking tests.
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Following outbreaks at Batemans Bay and further south, NSW Health has expanded the opening hours of the Ulladulla Clinic which is operating in the South Street car park and is staffed by health professionals from the Ulladulla Endoscopy and Medical Centre.
An extra testing room has been opened up, and hours extended to 8am - 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am-2pm Saturdays from this weekend.
Dr Jessie Hoang said the extra hours would take some pressure off Milton-Ulladulla Hospital as more and more people require testing.
The pop-up clinic tested more than 100 people on Wednesday.
Dr Hoang confirmed (as of Thursday) there had been no positive cases recorded in the Milton-Ulladulla area since March, but she has advised people to continue to be tested if they have any symptoms or if they have been in hot spot areas.
"Even if people have previously had a negative test, they should get tested again if symptoms return," she said.
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Dr Hoang said the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District had jumped on board and provided extra staff to help run the clinic.
"My staff have been so busy and working so hard during the past few weeks, so it is fantastic that we have had
the support for the ISLHD which has provided two members of its Community Health Nursing team to assist us."
Shoalhaven community nurse Nicole Davis and Warilla community nurse Margaret O'Donnell joined the Ulladulla clinic this week, while additional local doctors have also offered their services to assist Dr Hoang's team.
"We are all working together to get as many people tested as possible each day, to lighten the load on the hospital and to keep our community safe," she added.
After being tested, people must self-isolate until they receive their result, usually within 24 - 72 hours.
"If the test is positive your doctor will provide you with advice and the local public health unit will be in contact to interview you and identify your close contacts," Dr Hoang said.
If the test is negative, there is no longer a requirement for people to stay in home isolation unless they have already been
advised to stay isolation because of recent overseas travel or if they have been identified as a close contact of someone else who does have Covid-19, in which case they will have to remain in isolation for 14 days.
People must book before attending the clinic located behind Anytime Fitness in Ulladulla.
Bookings can be made online via the NSW Health website or phone 4455 5422.
Tests take about ten minutes and people of all ages - from babies and families to elderly members of the community - are encouraged to take the test.