Western Australia expands asymptomatic COVID-19 testing

  • School staff, transport workers and tourism industry employees invited to participate in DETECT Snapshot program.
  • Number of eligible staff increased by several thousand to provide greater insight into any undiagnosed community cases.
  • Following a successful start to the two-week DETECT Snapshot asymptomatic COVID-19 testing program, the McGowan Government has today announced a major expansion of work groups eligible for participation.

    From tomorrow until Wednesday June 10, the following workers who are aged over 18 years and display no symptoms of COVID-19 will be able to undergo a swab test for the virus:

      • School staff involved in any function in a school setting (pre-kindergarten to Year 12), including Department of Education employees;
      • Tourism sector staff of accredited tourism businesses;
      • Transport workers such as truck, bus and train drivers, maritime workers, security and customer service staff working in public transport, and aviation workers
      • Healthcare workers including Western Australian Health staff, employees in private hospitals, residential aged care facilities, general practices, pharmacies, the disability sector, or any worker employed by an organisation delivering health services;
      • WA Police staff;
      • Meat workers employed in an abattoir, meat packing or in further processing such as small goods manufacture
      • Retail workers such as employees in supermarkets, department stores and specialty stores; and
      • Hospitality workers such as employees in cafes, restaurants, pubs or hotels.

    Participation is voluntary and testing is available at more than 100 public and private clinics and drive-through facilities across WA.

    The program is being delivered with the support of PathWest, WA’s public health service providers, Australian Clinical Labs, Clinipath, and Western Diagnostic Pathology.

    There are convenient drive-through options in Burswood, Busselton, Mandurah, Midland, Mt Hawthorn, and Myaree, and testing is available in mobile clinics at Bunbury Forum, Galleria, Lakeside Joondalup, Mandurah Forum, and Midland Gate shopping centres.

    Since the start of DETECT Snapshot, approximately 3,000 tests results have been returned and all were negative for COVID-19.

    The majority of participants were healthcare workers (76%), followed by retail workers (14%).

    The program has provided further evidence in support of the view that WA has no sustained community transmission.

    People who fit the criteria can resume normal activities immediately and will be informed of a negative result via SMS.

    Anyone who tests positive will be followed up in line with existing Public Health procedures, including isolation and identification of any contacts for follow-up and quarantine.

    Testing for the remainder of the population still requires COVID-19 symptoms to be present, with the exception of those participating in approved research studies or where approval has been granted by the Chief Health Officer

    Anyone with fever, history of fever, or respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath, cough and/or sore throat should be tested at a designated COVID-19 clinic.

    As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:

    “To have about 3,000 people participate to date in the DETECT Snapshot program is outstanding and it is extremely pleasing that we have detected no cases of COVID-19.

    “From today, more clinics have opened so that there are a range of convenient testing options available and some private operators are in a position to offer larger employers testing in their workplaces.

    “I would encourage participation from as many eligible adults as possible before close of clinics on Wednesday June 10, 2020.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.