Answers to Questions

Coronavirus

In reply to the Hon. F. PANGALLO (21 July 2020).

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing): I have been advised:

The barrier serves to delineate the COVID-19 clinic space and limit entry to those attending the clinic.

The height of the barrier is 2.7 metres which is deemed appropriate to the droplet transmission of COVID-19.

In the area where the gaps above the barrier are present there are no procedures occurring; it is a waiting room. As per protocol, all patients in the COVID-19 clinic waiting room wear surgical masks. There are no aerosol generating procedures being undertaken in the COVID-19 clinic. There are no small gaps between the wall panels.

The swabs are performed in closed clinic rooms and this is the only area where the patients remove their masks and reapply their masks prior to exiting the clinic room after the swabs have been taken.