Do I Need To Get Tested?
Current Clinic Hours
I’ve Got COVID / Coronavirus
Self Isolating & Quarantine
Who Needs to Self Isolate?
International Arrivals
From 12:01am on 31 December, fully vaccinated international passengers arriving in NSW must get a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) as soon as practicable and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
People who are not fully vaccinated arriving in NSW from overseas must continue to go into 14-day mandatory quarantine.
Travelling within NSW
Travel restrictions between Greater Sydney and regional and rural NSW for holiday or recreational visits no longer apply. You do not need to register to travel within NSW.
If you are a Close Contact of a confirmed infection
Isolation and Quarantine
Please follow the guidelines listed by NSW Department of Health, regarding self isolation & quarantine
Fact sheets can be found at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/isolation-guidelines.aspx
Neighbourhood Care Network
“Get Ready for Covid” information.
You can access the NCN’s “Get Ready for Covid” information pack here
This information has been prepared for people living in the Bellingen Shire and surrounding areas. The Neighbourhood Care Network does not give advice, we are just pulling together existing information.
Please carefully read the NSW Health Fact Sheets included in this document as well as go to their website.
COVID is well and truly here – despite our best efforts to keep our Shire and surrounding areas safe. The good news is that NSW Health says that Omicron will be less severe than previous strains and more like a bad cold or flu for most of us.
For this reason, most people who catch COVID will isolate and look after themselves at home. However, NSW Health know that some people will do it tough. Older people plus people with underlying health conditions are more vulnerable. Thankfully, there are easy ways for people who need proper medical care to be linked into the health system and get the help they need.
NSW Health have developed some useful resources to help us. The NCN have pulled together some of this material to make it as easy as possible for you to be prepared.
Keep up to date with NCN Resources that are kept at this page, and register for the Network and to receive text message updates here.
Symptoms
COVID SYMPTOMS
- Fever over 38°C
- A history of fever, eg rigors
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Loss of sense of smell
- Change in sense of taste
EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS
- Significantly faster or more difficulty breathing
- Pain on breathing
- Confusion
- Skin feels unusually cold and sweaty, patchy colouring or excessively pale
SEVERE SYMPTOMS
- Persistent shortness of breath
- Chest pains
- Suddenly feeling cold with shivering and fever (rigors)
- Persistent sweating
- Persistent fever not getting better after treatment
- Persistent muscle pain
- Exhaustion
COVID Testing Clinic
Bellingen Shire Covid-19 Testing Clinic is open
The COVID Clinic was established by local doctors and nurses to provide a single point for the assessment and testing of anyone in Bellingen Shire (including Dorrigo, Thora, Urunga, Kalang, Raleigh etc) who thinks they may have a Coronavirus (COVID) infection. It is now being managed by Sullivan Nicolades Pathology.
No other medical problems will be dealt with at the COVID Clinic – you should see your usual GP for those.
Clinic Location
15-23 Watson St, Bellingen (the old Watson Street Hostel).
Clinic Hours
The Clinic is operated by the Mid North Coast Local Health District. Please refer to their website.
Bring your Medicare card.
Who Can Attend The Clinic?
Any Bellingen Shire resident or visitor.
No appointment required.
Cost
Your visit to the Clinic is bulk-billed to Medicare. There are no out of pocket expenses, as long as you have a Medicare card.
Health Advice
If you are unable to attend the clinic or have mild symptoms/are asymptomatic and are seeking further advice or information, please contact Health Direct for 24/hr health advice on 1800 022 222.
What Will Happen At The Clinic?
You should drive to the Clinic and enter the driveway as signposted.
Please stay in your car (including children). Keep the air conditioner running if the weather is warm.
You will be met by a staff member who will record your details (please have your Medicare card with you).
You will then proceed along the driveway to be seen by a nurse and doctor.
Testing involves taking a swab from the back of your throat, and from the back of your nose. Some people may find this uncomfortable.
If you are tested, it is important that you then remain in home isolation until the result is back.
Your result will be sent to your mobile phone. If you do not have a mobile phone please ring your GP 3 days after the test.
Your visit will take about 10 minutes, longer if there are a lot of attendees.
If You Don’t Have a Car
You should still enter via the driveway on foot or bike. You will be shown to a separate seating area.
Vaccinations
These are challenging times for everyone in our community,
These are challenging times for everyone in our community, however if we focus on remaining connected, informed and safe as we go about living and working in our Shire, then we will continue to rise to the challenges the future may present us.
Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is voluntary.
There are currently two COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Australia, both of which are available for free to everyone living in Australia, which means that vaccination providers cannot charge you for the COVID-19 vaccine or for appointments to receive the vaccine.
NSW Health vaccination clinics and participating general practices across the state are open for COVID-19 vaccination bookings, so to check your eligibility and book an appointment at a location near you, simply use the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Checker on the Australian Government website.
However, if there are no bookings available at a location near you, please continue to visit NSW Health and the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Checker to stay up to date, as more vaccination appointments will soon become available as states and territories amend their eligibility based on their COVID-19 situation and vaccine supply and uptake.
Brought to you by the Clinical Action Group
The Clinical Action Group consists of representatives from the medical and health profession within the Shire – primary objectives are the operation of the Bellingen COVID-19 Clinic.
A collaborative effort by the private medical and health practitioners across the Bellingen Shire has resulted in the establishment of a dedicated COVID-19 testing clinic, despite no surety of funding for this clinic from the State Department of Health.