South-east Queenslanders are again undertaking a COVID-19 testing blitz, as they are urged to consider wearing masks in public over fears of community transmission.
Long queues of people in cars and on foot formed at testing clinics in Brisbane and Ipswich on Monday after a cluster related to the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre in Wacol grew by one to 10 cases.
Health Minister Steven Miles earlier said it was inadequate for just under 7000 tests to have been done in the past 24 hours.
He warned that people who tested negative during the last cluster earlier in the month, when two young women brought the disease back from Melbourne, should not believe they were COVID-free if they had symptoms.
“6834 tests in the last testing period is not enough for us to be assured that we are finding all of the cases that are out there,” Miles said on Monday.
“We know a lot of people, particularly in Logan, the southern suburbs of Brisbane and Ipswich, got tested last cluster and they might think they don’t need to do it again.
“But if they have any symptom at all, please do get tested again.”
Residents appeared to heed his call, with long lines at testing clinics at Kenmore and Murarrie in Brisbane and at Ipswich Hospital.
Meanwhile, chief health officer Jeannette Young has made her case for people to wear masks.
Young said on Monday she wouldn’t make wearing a mask compulsory, but urged people to do so in crowded places.
“Everyone should consider, if they can’t maintain social distancing, that it’s time to use a mask,” she said.
“If you’re in a crowded situation you can’t get out of, put a mask on.
“(But) I’m not going to mandate it because I don’t think we have broad community transmission.”
Young also recommended the protective equipment be worn by staff, visitors and patients at hospitals in the Metro North, South and at West Moreton Hospital.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiwFodHRwczovLzduZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9saWZlc3R5bGUvaGVhbHRoLXdlbGxiZWluZy9xdWVlbnNsYW5kLXJlc2lkZW50cy11cmdlZC10by13ZWFyLW1hc2tzLWFtaWQtYW5vdGhlci1ydXNoLW9mLWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXRlc3RpbmctYy0xMjYxNjkz0gGPAWh0dHBzOi8vN25ld3MuY29tLmF1L2xpZmVzdHlsZS9oZWFsdGgtd2VsbGJlaW5nL3F1ZWVuc2xhbmQtcmVzaWRlbnRzLXVyZ2VkLXRvLXdlYXItbWFza3MtYW1pZC1hbm90aGVyLXJ1c2gtb2YtY29yb25hdmlydXMtdGVzdGluZy1jLTEyNjE2OTMuYW1w?oc=5
2020-08-24 06:45:00Z
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