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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Coronavirus testing clinic opens at Bondi Beach

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Coronavirus testing clinic opens at Bondi Beach
Coronavirus testing clinic opens at Bondi Beach

Australian authorities opened a pop-up coronavirus testing clinic at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Wednesday (April 1) after several clusters were discovered in the area.

Libby Hogan reports.

It's usually packed with surfers and beachgoers - but Australia's most famous beach, Sydney's Bondi Beach opened a pop-up clinic testing for the coronavirus on Wednesday (April 1).

The clinic is for those wanting tests, set up by Sydney's St.

Vincent's Hospital.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL RESIDENT, ANNA, SAYING: "I just wanted to be really sure that I wouldn't infect anybody else.

I've had very minor symptoms that feel a bit like I might get the flu.

They are so minor, I wouldn't, I can function anyway but it's persisted so I thought better to be sure than sorry." Aussies weren't taking the virus seriously in late March and thousands still gathered on the beach defying social distancing orders.

The beach was then closed by authorities.

Spokesperson for St Vincent's Hospital, David Faktor, said health authorities had discovered Bondi was a hotspot for the virus, particularly within the backpacker community.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESPERSON FOR SAINT VINCENT'S HOSPITAL, DAVID FAKTOR, SAYING: "We've identified in conjunction with New South Wales Health, a hotspot within the Bondi community, particularly the backpacker community and we've rapidly set up this pop-up clinic, to respond to a need, to increased testing where appropriate, where people meet the criteria." The federal government has planned for up to 100 pop-up clinics across the country to ramp up testing in transmission hot spots.

Australia has reported around 4,700 cases of the virus nationally.

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