Asymptomatic nurses, midwives and carers encouraged to get tested as part of community testing

4 May 2020

Mobile drive-through testing clinics are operating as part of the COVID-19 testing blitz.

As part of the testing blitz the Victorian Chief Health Officer is encouraging anyone without symptoms and who works in a health service or aged care service to voluntarily participate in sample testing. This will inform disease surveillance activity.

Most people who have COVID-19 have symptoms such as cough, fever or sore throat. In many cases these symptoms can be mild.

There is a small chance that you have COVID-19 even though you feel well and don’t have any symptoms of the disease.

Healthcare workers have a higher chance of catching COVID-19 due to their exposure to patients and are at higher risk of passing COVID-19 onto sick patients and vulnerable people.

This means nurses, midwives and personal care workers employed in public, private, not-for-profit and local government can now get tested for COVID-19. Testing will help protect health workers, their patients, their family and the community.

The test is bulk billed and there is no cost.

If you have no symptoms you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your results.

If you are working in a large public or private health service your employer may have a testing clinic on site. For testing clinic locations call the 24-hour hotline 1800 675 398 or visit bit.ly/3f6u6xF for more information, locations and maps.

Mobile drive through testing clinics are also operating at the following shopping centres: