By Dominique Tassell
While most residents of the Southern Downs are finding it impossible to get their hands on a Rapid Antigen Test, Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) says they have 400 tests on the way to be used within the organisation.
SDRC CEO Dave Burges stated that they have ordered 200 two-packs of the tests, and “the delivery is imminent”.
He stated he’s not sure when they will be delivered, and that SDRC is still considering how those tests will be used.
“It’ll be probably for our essential workers, so we’re not going to be doing them to all staff every day.”
He stated that SDRC will probably focus on their “core services such as water and sewerage and waste and those sorts of things”.
The CEO stated that he wanted to be able to get these workers back to work as soon as possible with a negative test.
National cabinet agreed last week on 14 January to include more workers to be exempt from Covid isolation to help ease the pressure on workforces and supply chains.
In the ‘energy, resources and water, and waste management’ industry, the following areas are included:
• Energy supply (electricity, liquid fuels, gas)
• Water supply, sewerage, sanitation and drainage
• Supply of resources, including mining and FIFO workers
• Waste resource recovery (including collection, treatment, storage and disposal services)
Essential workers are able to go to work when deemed a close contact of someone with Covid-19 as long as they are not exhibiting any symptoms.
Stores in the region have been unable to confirm when they will have Rapid Antigen Tests available for locals to buy, with one commenting that they had “no clue” when they could get more in and it “would be great” if they could be more readily available.
