Health Minister Roger Cook.
Camera IconHealth Minister Roger Cook. Credit: Supplied/The West Australian

Peel COVID Clinic coming soon

Jake DietschMandurah Coastal Times

HEALTH Minister Roger Cook has today exclusively revealed to the Mandurah Coastal Times that a COVID clinic will soon be established in the Peel region.

Mr Cook said he was currently working with the Federal Government to establish a COVID clinic in the Peel region because the region “has a large percentage of elderly residents”.

“I expect the announcement on the location will be made in the coming week,” he said.

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“Mandurah residents who meet the testing criteria can access COVID testing at the Rockingham General Hospital and at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

“At these sites the McGowan Government has established dedicated COVID clinics.”

Earlier this week, Dawesville MP and Shadow Health Minister Zak Kirkup called on the State Government to urgently provide an operational COVID-19 clinic in Mandurah.

Coronavirus COVID-19 swabs from patients are kept in a plastic sealed tub as lab technicians carry out a diagnostic test for coronavirus.
Camera IconCoronavirus COVID-19 swabs from patients are kept in a plastic sealed tub as lab technicians carry out a diagnostic test for coronavirus. Credit: Supplied/PA Images via Getty Images

Mr Kirkup said the absence of a clinic in Mandurah, despite eight operating across WA was “unacceptable”.

“The age of our community, together with our distance from Perth means that we deserve to have our own dedicated COVID-19 clinic operating immediately,” he said.

“COVID-19 clinics allow for people to get triage and tested in an environment separate to existing hospitals.

Our doctors, nurses and the whole team at Peel Health Campus are doing a great job managing this issue, they deserve all the resources and support we can muster.’

“I don’t know why Mandurah has once again been forgotten by the McGowan Government, it’s really unacceptable and I’m calling on the government to roll out a COVID-19 clinic here and now as a matter of priority.”

As of yesterday, there were eight operational COVID-19 clinics in WA.

The global death rate of COVID-19 is understood to be 2.3 per cent.

However, this figure surges among older patients, with those over 80 suffering a 14.8 per cent case fatality rate.

According to the 2016 census, 4.1 per cent of Mandurah’s population was over the age of 85, nearly double the national average of 2.1 per cent.

Mandurah’s population was also found to be 10 years older than the national average in the latest census.