A reminder that starting tomorrow,
Saturday, 1 October 2022, patients need a referral for PCR testing for COVID-19 by private pathology providers.
Public COVID clinics offer PCR testing without a referral for people with COVID-like
symptoms and asymptomatic close contacts to meet their testing requirements during isolation.
The public COVID Clinics are at
Joondalup Hospital, PathWest Murdoch drive-through, Rockingham Hospital drive-through and Royal Perth Hospital.
When demand for a PCR
test exceeds capacity at a State-run clinic, people may be provided with a rapid antigen test to do at
home.
WA Health is reminding people to test as
soon as they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 because that is when you are most infectious.
(RATs)
are a safe, convenient, and fast way to test for COVID-19.
If people have COVID-like symptoms, they
should take a RAT, which is a safe, convenient, and fast way to test for COVID-19, or PCR test, and isolate
until they receive a negative result.
If they have a negative RAT but are
still worried they may have COVID-19, public health advice is to test again after 24 hours. People who record a
negative COVID-19 test should stay home until their symptoms resolve to prevent spreading illness to
others.
Patients who test positive should follow the instructions on , on the HealthyWA
website.
