THE Wangaratta Showgrounds COVID screening clinic is set to close, following a significant drop in testing demand in the rural city.
Despite only moving to the showgrounds last Friday, the site will return to its Vincent Road base as of Friday morning, following a busy screening push which saw the clinic average 300 tests per day over the weekend.
By Monday, that number had fallen to 218 tests – a number which Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) acting CEO Robyn Gillis said was manageable from the Vincent Road site.
"The Vincent Road site is a much more comfortable site for our staff to operate from, especially on hot or wet days," she said.
"It also means we can minimise disruptions to the showgrounds user groups, who have been extremely accommodating and understanding."
Latest Stories
According to an NHW spokesperson, if demand for PCR tests were to rise again, the health care provider would consider re–opening the showgrounds screening clinic.
PCR tests will be available at the Wangaratta Showgrounds clinic between 6am and midday tomorrow, with entry via Evans Street, before shifting back to the Vincent Road site from 6am Friday morning.
The clinic will then operate from the Vincent road site seven days a week, between the hours of 6am and midday.
Attendees are urged to fill out an online registration form by visiting https://testtracker.covid19.dhhs.vic.gov.au/citizen–prefill, in order to decrease wait times.
