Fairfields new Covid test of essential workers backed amid criticism

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A construction union is backing companies’ decision to have a mandatory Covid-19 test every three days after the fury against hundreds of essential workers who lined up for up to six hours.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the tough new rules on Tuesday, demanding that anyone leaving the Fairfield LGA for essential work should be tested every three days before being allowed to go to work.

The community gathered on Wednesday, turning out to be massive for testing, only to then wait, some for several hours, as testing sites struggled to keep up with the massive demand.

The huge delays have been slammed on social media, with commentators pointing out that the government should have ensured that testing can follow.

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CFMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield, meanwhile, justified the tests to the ABC.

“We don’t know how long the lockdown is, we saw another two week extension today and for all we know it could be five or six weeks, it could be another 2 weeks, we don’t know not.

“A lot of workers in the industry are living week to week, if they had been shut down and had no income it would have been horrible.”

The testing measures don’t go into effect until Saturday and if you don’t have any symptoms you can get tested at a clinic outside the region, but the Fairfield LGA responded immediately causing the spread to spread. test queues for miles.

People have reported waiting up to six hours for a test, while others said after waiting two hours, NSW police arrived and closed the lines and sent them home. them.

A Twitter user said: “The people of Fairfield responded, did the right thing, as asked. And the government let them down.

People posted videos of the ‘nightmare’ car queues with people waiting to be tested, with one describing the line of cars in the Fairfield Showground test facility as ‘madness’.

ABC reporter Kamin Gock, who was at the scene, described what he considered “absolute chaos”, describing “lines of vehicles stretching for miles on suburban streets” and ” hundreds of vehicles lined up along hundreds of meters of roads ”.

Mr Gock revealed that before covid, around 45,000 Fairfield residents left the area working every day, and although that number may be lower now, “it’s still thousands and thousands of tests every three days. “.

One Twitter user said his “heart goes out to the LGA people in Fairfield lining up to try and get a Covid test.” What a debacle. @GladysB @BradHazzard If you change the rules, put the systems in place first.

Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys assured residents that a traffic plan will be revised to better manage queues at testing centers.

“It was a very difficult situation last night in Fairfield around these testing centers,” the deputy police commissioner said.

“The local superintendent will work with the police operations center, as was done last night, over the next few days, to come up with the best traffic plans,” Worboys said.

“We will continue to do our best statewide to keep everyone safe,” the deputy police commissioner said.

“Our message is that the New South Wales Police in and around Fairfield and South West Sydney are here to help people get through this difficult and difficult time.”

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At Ms Berejiklian’s press conference at 11 a.m. announcing 97 new Covid cases of which 75% were in the Fairfield LGA, she thanked the people of Fairfield for responding to the new rules.

She also said the government was working to increase testing capacity to avoid similar testing delays in the future, and encouraged people to visit testing clinics beyond the LGA in Fairfield. to relieve pressure on the system.

“If you are subject to the new health ordinances that say you are a worker leaving Fairfield but have no symptoms, the recommendation and advice is to go to a clinic closest to your workplace,” said Ms. Berejiklian.

“We have a huge capacity and we suggest that if you are symptom-free and need to leave the Fairfield local government area to work, go to the nearest location, or on your way to work, or on the way to get tested. , take the pressure off, it’s just common sense.

“We have so much capacity in the greater Sydney area, we want to share the load as much as possible to make sure people in the healthcare system and especially in this area are not overloaded and that’s a logical way to reply.”

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NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet also apologized to residents, saying the NSW government was looking for solutions.

He stressed that the new rules will not come into effect until Saturday and that those affected will be able to get tested in places outside their local government area.

A Twitter user satirized the plight of people in cars queuing in Fairfield, joking that NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller would send a helicopter to oversee.

“The NSW government is introducing a new system to manage Covid-19,” the person tweeted.

“Working from your vehicle is now on trial at Fairfield.

“You can also quarantine in your car. Mick Fuller sends the Blackhawk helicopter to ensure compliance. Surfing is on the rise in Bondi.

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