PLEASE NOTE: This article was posted in 2021. The testing clinic at Eight Mile Plains is no longer open as at August 2022. This article remains online for archival purposes.
By Georgia Parsonson
The latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Brisbane has encouraged Queensland Health to increase its testing capacity. Despite this, it is still possible that Queenslanders may experience long waits while getting tested.
A new 24-hour COVID-19 testing clinic has been established in Eight Mile Plains on Brisbane’s Southside. The clinic is being run by Queensland Ambulance Service and is located at Eight Mile Plains Community Health Centre, 51 McKechnie Drive.
The Eight-Mile Plains COVID-testing clinic will be open until 10 pm tonight and will be open 24 hours from Tuesday 3 August. Queensland Health is currently operating 128 COVID-19 testing clinics throughout the State, including 54 drive-through clinics.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said that there was a significant rise in the number of people visiting the state’s COVID-19 test centres.
“That is pleasing to see — testing people is the only way we can know for sure how widespread this current outbreak is,” she said.
“I know some people have had to wait longer than normal to be tested, but I urge them to remain in place and get the test, especially if they have symptoms or have been at one of the contact tracing locations published on our website.
“Our staff are working very hard to minimise the wait in line, but this is a process that requires care and accuracy. They are doing the best they can.
“To keep up with demand for testing, we have opened additional testing sites or extended the operating hours of some of our existing ones.
“If the testing clinic you are visiting is busy, consider going to a different one where you may get through faster, including private testing facilities.
“The community response so far has been brilliant, and I thank everyone for acting so responsibly.”
To meet the demand for COVID019 testing, Queensland Health is opening new centres or extending the opening hours of existing centres, including:
- Minor Injury and Illness Clinic (Caloundra) – Caloundra Specialist Ambulatory Care (8 am-8 pm, Monday and Tuesday)
- Nambour General Hospital (8 am-6 pm, Monday and Tuesday)
- Gympie Hospital (8 am-4 pm, Monday and Tuesday)
- Court Street Fever Clinic (Ipswich Hospital) (8.30 am-7 pm, Monday 2 August)
- Mater Private Hospital Springfield COVID-19 testing clinic, 30 Health Care Dr, Springfield Central (8 am-4 pm Monday-Friday, 2 August)
For testing centres in your area, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/testing-and-fever-clinics.