By Alesha Capone
A Wyndham man says he was turned away from the COVID-19 testing site at Pacific Werribee last month, even though he had potential virus symptoms.
Charles (who asked for his surname to be withheld), said he attended the testing site about 4pm on August 26.
At the time he had a sore throat and cough and had been notified that a co-worker’s housemate had recently tested positive for the virus.
Speaking to Star Weekly last week, Charles said a female staff member at the testing site told him that he could not be tested because he did not work in a critical industry, such as aged care or an abattoir.
“They asked if I had any symptoms and I said that I had a sore throat. She said that wasn’t a ‘critical symptom’,” Charles said.
Charles said he told the woman that his colleague’s housemate had tested positive and she responded this was not “critical” and that contract tracing would be done.
Charles said he had undergone a COVID-19 test at the same site before the stage four lockdown began.
“I assumed the criteria hadn’t changed since then,” he said.
Charles said the refusal to test him seemed to fly in the face of messages from authorities and the state government, which have been urging people to get tested for coronavirus if they show even slight symptoms.
A Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) spokesperson said: “We thank all Victorians who are doing their part and getting tested to help slow the spread of this highly infectious and deadly virus.
“Anyone with even the mildest of coronavirus symptoms is encouraged to get tested.
“Common symptoms include fever/chills, cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat, runny nose and loss of sense of smell or taste.
“All sites, including the site at Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre should be testing people with these symptoms and we encourage anyone with any questions to contact the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.”
Data from the DHHS shows that, in the two weeks to Friday, 9458 COVID-19 tests have been carried out in Wyndham, with 2.2 per cent returning a positive diagnosis.
