Cowes testing tent closed indefinitely

The Cowes Covid-19 testing tent has closed indefinitely due to staff shortages, despite massive demand.

The tent closed on New Year’s Eve initially for a week, but Bass Coast Health (BCH) CEO Jan Child yesterday (Wednesday) put a desperate call out for help.
“The tent is closed indefinitely,” she said.
“Our staff are dropping like flies. It has never been more critical. 
“If anyone is a retired health care worker, contact us if they can help.”

Last week those needing a test were redirected to Wonthaggi, but last Friday the demand then saw that site close until Sunday.
The closure came at the busiest time for Cowes testing, with queued cars stretching down Chapel St to Dunsmore Rd every day from Christmas, 75 per cent of which were for interstate holiday testing.

Ms Child last week said she made the decision to close the tent because they had “simply run out of staff”.
“There has been unparalleled demand in the Urgent Care Centre, the cancer service, the Emergency Department, the maternity service and in the wards,” Ms Child said.
“We are seeing more patients and sicker patients. This has been capped off by extraordinary demand for testing and a keenness for us to boost our capacity in the vaccination clinic at the Wonthaggi Town Hall.”

Ms Child said they had requested extra staff from Melbourne “but we have not had the response we had hoped for because of testing demand in the city”.
“Unfortunately, we do not have enough staff in the short term to run our services, plus vaccination, plus two tents. Our staff are very fatigued; some need to have a break. Others are still holding the fort doing as much as they can in terms of overtime and additional shifts.”

COVID testing numbers at Wonthaggi and Cowes reached a peak of close to 500 a day every day for a while, but Ms Child expected these numbers to diminish with the changes to testing rules. 

Criticism

Some visitors and residents took to the Advertiser’s Facebook page to question why the tent was closed at peak season.
“Huge visitor numbers are expected this time of year. This should have been factored in, surely,” wrote Judith Doyle, adding she had the “utmost respect” for nursing staff.

Ms Child took the time to respond to these questions saying BCH staff had spent the last 18 months planning and “we have not left a single stone unturned”. 
“Many of those who are still working are doing double and sometimes triple shifts to keep our service available to you and our community,” Ms Child wrote.

“People aren’t knocking on my door to get into really horrible PPE for 10 hour days on their feet in a 30C tent to expose themselves to COVID, and abuse. The issue is testing is a tough gig and I don’t have enough heroes who step up to do it.”