Geraldton doctor warns testing necessary after border change increases risk

A Geraldton doctor is warning people not to get complacent with COVID-19, saying it’s “vital” people continue to get tested, especially now WA’s border arrangement has changed. Deputy chair of the Mid West GP Network Dr Ian Taylor said people only needed to look at the escalating situation in South Australia, which had reached 23 cases on Thursday, prompting a six-day lockdown, to see the risk the virus still posed. Last Saturday, WA removed its hard border to all States which had achieved 28 days without community transmission. But Premier Mark McGowan has warned the State Government could reinstate its hard border following the outbreak in Adelaide at the weekend. Dr Taylor, pictured, said the border change had increased the risk of the virus returning to WA. “Just like what’s happening in South Australia at the moment,” he said. “It’s absolutely necessary we as a community remain vigilant and get tested if we have any cough, cold or flu symptoms.” Dr Taylor said WA had done a “remarkable job” of eliminating community transmission of the virus but this had led to a sense of complacency. “It’s been seven months without community transmission,” he said. “But because the State has been very effective at limiting transmission, we’re getting slack and not doing important things like social distancing.” He said the relaxed attitude about the virus was like “paddling a canoe in the eye of a cyclone”. “If you look at what’s happening in the rest of the world, we’re not out of it by a long shot and the only real fix would be a vaccine,” he said. According to the Department of Health, almost 10,000 tests have been conducted in the Mid West since the start of this year. The last reported case of community transmission in WA was on April 11.