Warwick and Stanthorpe Today staff return negative Covid tests

Warwick and Stanthorpe Today staff have returned negative Covid-19 tests, and our office on Palmerin Street will be open as usual today.

By Dominique Tassell

Warwick and Stanthorpe Today staff have returned negative Covid-19 tests, and our office on Palmerin Street will be open as usual today.

Lisa Crouch and I visited the Condamine Sports Club last Tuesday morning for a story, so went to get tested yesterday afternoon after the exposure site listing was expanded.

The original listing was from 1 pm to 2 pm on Tuesday 2 November and has been changed to 9 am to 10 pm.

We got our swabs at around 4 pm yesterday and got our test results back around 2 am this morning.

Condamine Sports Club staff have all returned negative test results so far.

I was pleased to see the number of cars lining up to get their tests yesterday, but it does put into perspective how many people can be affected by an exposure site.

I know I will certainly be even more diligent about social distancing, breaking out the sanitiser, and wearing my mask when I think it is needed.

I’m already very on top of checking in, but I hope this will be a wake-up call to the people who aren’t currently checking in everywhere they should.

Checking in keeps us safe. It means we can easily contain any exposure sites and prevent a cluster from forming.

It’s about protecting our community; about looking after each other.

While myself and Lisa are vaccinated, we could still carry the virus and pass it on though we would be less infectious than a non-vaccinated person.

Thankfully, our chances of getting extremely sick are much lower due to being vaccinated.

But the fact of the matter is as a reporter my entire job is being amongst the community and I spent last night terrified that I had passed the virus onto someone.

I do not want anyone else in our community to get sick.

There is a Covid-19 testing clinic at the Warwick Showgrounds, open daily from 8:30 am to 4 pm until further notice.

I can confirm the staff are lovely, and that breathing out through your nose while getting swabbed helps immensely.

While staff warn you it could take a few days to get your results, in my experience and the experience of others who have gone you get your results back within about half a day.

It’s quick and not nearly as bad as everyone says, and it’s an important step in stopping this virus from spreading.

Another important step, arguably the most important step, is getting vaccinated.

Darling Downs Health will also be providing Covid-19 Pfizer vaccinations at a pop-up clinic at Warwick Town Hall for four days starting today.

The pop-up clinic will be open from 12 November to Monday 15 November from 8 am to 4 pm each day.

The clinic is open to all people aged 12 years and above and walk-ins are welcome. You can also pre-register online at www.vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au

The Stanthorpe State School will also host a pop-up vaccination clinic on Saturday 13 November between 9 am and 4.30 pm. Anyone over the age of 12 years is eligible.