Tasmanian doctors raise concerns over COVID complacency as testing rates drop

Recently, the state health department called for Tasmanians experiencing hayfever symptoms to get tested for COVID-19, but there is a broader reminder that the battle to stay on top of the virus is not over.

Dr Jerome Muir Wilson was at the coalface when COVID-19 testing took off in Tasmania and said he had noticed people were less receptive to the concerns about the virus.

"People are going back to work or school with symptoms," he said.

"The community was a lot better six months ago."

The testing facility alongside Dr Muir Wilson's workplace has actually reduced appointments for COVID-19 because people are not using them.

Data from the federal Health Department showed testing numbers took a sharp downturn in September, falling from 658 tests each day to less than 450 each day by the end of the month, a decrease of 29 per cent.

While the Tasmanian testing system itself has seen 102,821 Tasmanians submitted to testing, the state has the second lowest testing rate in the country after Western Australia.

With only 19 per cent of Tasmanians being tested for COVID-19 across the population, the state falls shy of the 30 per cent national average.

Dr Muir Wilson noticed testing numbers had reduced recently and said he was concerned about not knowing what is, or is not, a good number of tests.

Dr Muir Wilson said individuals, workplaces and Tasmanians in general had to remain diligent with their COVID-19 testing.

"Without testing we might not pick up a case. Testing is not hard, it's free and it's available every day," he said.

In a press conference on August 28, in which the public health emergency was extended by 12-weeks, Tasmanian director of public health Dr Mark Veitch said the threat of a reintroduction of the virus into Tasmania remained.

"The COVID pandemic is continuing ... The threat of introduction into Tasmania remains," he said.

Dr Veitch also said the tightness of the Tasmanian community could lead to difficult to control outbreaks if they were to happen.

In Premier Peter Gutwein's latest available daily COVID-19 update from September 18 he said, "we must keep following the rules and behaviours that have helped us to keep on top of COVID."

When asked about falling testing numbers in Tasmania a public health services spokesman said, "It is the responsibility of every Tasmanian and visitor to Tasmania to ensure they get a test if they display any symptoms consistent with a cold, flu or hay fever."

"Testing is a key component of our coronavirus strategy. Our message is a simple one: if you experience those symptoms, get tested. We don't want the community to become complacent, and we have seen interstate how quickly outbreaks of coronavirus can occur."

President of the Tasmanian branch of the Public Health Association Dr Kim Jose was not surprised by the falling testing rate and said there were a number of factors it could be attributed to.

Dr Jose said lower rates of cold and flu cases meant less people were presenting with COVID-19 symptoms.

The length of time since Tasmania's last community transmission case may mean people are perceiving the risk of becoming infected as low was another factor Dr Jose considered.

Dr Jose said it could be complacency, real confidence in public health guidelines or other factors that led to the lower testing numbers.

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