Mobile COVID-19 respiratory clinic for Wee Waa

The Wee Waa and District Chamber of Commerce has won its campaign to have a mobile respiratory van visit the town to assess people who have mild to moderate cold or flu symptoms and test them for COVID-19.

“It’s great news,” said Chamber president Ann-Maree Galagher.

Chamber representatives contacted Ochre Health about a month ago when they heard a mobile clinic was visiting Narrabri, Boggabri and Gunnedah but not Wee Waa.

“We thought surely they can come to Wee Waa too because it will also help the people in outlying towns such as Burren and Pilliga,” said Mrs Galagher.

“And at the time, we were supposed to be limiting our travel anyway.”

Mrs Galagher said the Chamber welcomed the news that the mobile clinic would now be visiting Wee Waa on a Tuesday at Cook Oval and encouraged people to make an appointment if they had symptoms.

Member for Parkes and Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton said the mobile clinic is a great example of problem solving with several local communities benefitting from the service.

Based in Boggabri and servicing residents of Gunnedah, Boggabri, Narrabri, and now Wee Waa, the mobile clinic is run by Ochre Health and is one of more than 130 GP-led clinics across the country.

“Being able to access such services without having to travel to a major centre is a great relief to many and particularly important as we continue to work to suppress transmission of the virus,” Mr Coulton said.

“It makes sense to deliver this service to Wee Waa residents as well as those from further afield in Pilliga, Gwabegar and Burren Junction,” said Mr Coulton.

“I thank Ochre Health and the Wee Waa Chamber of Commerce for their pragmatic approach to ensuring the health of our communities.

“This clinic is best placed to support people with fever, cough, sore throat and other respiratory symptoms while avoiding the risk of transmitting infection to other members of the community.

“I encourage anyone in our community experiencing these symptoms to call the clinic or go online to book an appointment.

“While the number of active cases has plummeted thanks to discipline from every Australian, the pandemic is not yet over and it is vital we each continue to practise social distancing, maintain stringent hygiene, and install the COVIDSafe app, to help protect our community,” said Mr Coulton.