The third regional COVID clinic in Western Australia will open at Kununurra District Hospital today to further protect Kimberley communities from COVID-19.
The clinic will be open from 8am-4.30pm, seven days a week under the guidance of clinicians and support staff following strict infection prevention controls.
It adds yet another extra layer of safety for Western Australians.
The clinic has been established to help with the mandatory testing of essential workers and exempt personnel crossing the border.
It is located within an existing building at the health facility.
The clinic will also support the DETECT Borders program that sees asymptomatic testing available to employees and contractors involved in any function at the Kununurra border crossing.
The new clinic is the third in regional WA, with COVID-19 clinics already operating at Broome and Bunbury.
Testing is also available at regional public hospitals and health services, and some private pathology centres.
Western Australians are reminded that they must get tested for COVID-19 if they have:
- a fever
- coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat
- loss of smell or taste.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
“We’ve worked hard here in Western Australia to suppress the spread of COVID-19; but it’s important we continue to take action to protect the health and safety of our communities.
“While we may have kept the virus from WA, we know it can devastate communities extremely quickly.
“That’s why the State Government continues to implement initiatives to ensure we’re able to curtail any potential outbreak as swiftly as possible.
“We know testing numbers have gone up in Kununurra because of the nearby State border.
“The new COVID clinic will provide an important pathway for essential workers and other exempt personnel to meet their obligation of mandatory testing.
“Some of our most vulnerable communities are located in the East Kimberley so the imperative is on all of us to continue doing everything within our power to protect them – and other Western Australians – from COVID-19.”
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt:
“The Kununurra clinic is another important initiative by the State Government to safeguard remote Aboriginal communities in the East Kimberley.
“It adds to our hard border and remote community travel restrictions, which are helping to protect Aboriginal people who are at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19.
“Western Australians have done a remarkable job to stop the spread of COVID-19. However, it remains important that we do all we can to keep ourselves and each other healthy.
“I urge people to continue to wash their hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds, maintain distance from others where possible and not go to work or school if unwell.”
