General News
7 January, 2022
Cairns Hospital COVID-19 testing clinic relocated to Showgrounds
Cairns Hospital’s COVID-19 testing clinic has relocated to the Cairns Showgrounds to expand testing services.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service’s COVID-19 testing teams shifted to the DeJarlais Function Centre at the Showgrounds along Mulgrave Rd from Tuesday to ease pressure on Cairns Hospital as COVID-19 cases continue to escalate in the region.
CHHHS chief executive Tina Chinery said the new site would allow three times the amount of COVID-19 testing compared to Cairns Hospital’s fever clinic.
“The fever clinic outside our Emergency Department was always designed to be temporary, but due to the significant amount of COVID-19 cases we have detected in our community since mid-December, it has been clear that we need to expand the facility,” she said.
“Moving to a larger site will allow our COVID-19 Response Team to have up to a dozen staff conducting swabs at the same time.
“This will mean people presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 will have less time waiting to be tested.”
The new clinic is walk-in only, has ample parking at the showgrounds and the surrounding streets, and will be open seven days a week, from 8am to 4pm.
Ms Chinery thanked people for their patience and continuing willingness to come out and get tested for COVID-19, particularly in the current hot weather conditions.
“The new site is also fully air-conditioned, so we won’t have as many people lining up in the hot, summer sun for long periods,” she said.
“Regardless of this, we are still encouraging anyone requiring testing to bring with them a bottle of water, consider wearing sunscreen and a hat, umbrella, grab a book, bring your phone and a portable charger, and any medications you may need.”
She said PCR testing clinics should be only for patients presenting with symptoms of COVID-19, who cannot access at Rapid Antigen Test (RAT); a close contact of a COVID-19 case who cannot access a RAT; or those who require a COVID-19 test to leave home quarantine and cannot obtain a RAT.
To find your closest COVID-19 testing clinic, please visit www.qld.gov.au/health/covid19/testing
