![The Tamworth Respiratory Clinic will close on December 31, when its funding expires. Picture by Peter Hardin, file The Tamworth Respiratory Clinic will close on December 31, when its funding expires. Picture by Peter Hardin, file](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/caitlin.reid%40fairfaxmedia.com./bf49e9c3-e119-469f-9f59-c5e511b9046e.jpg/r0_0_1078_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
TAMWORTH'S respiratory clinic, which provides COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, will close at the end of the year, despite a potential fourth wave of the virus hitting the city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Northwest Health principal Dr Ian Kamerman told the Leader the clinic will shut its doors on December 31, when its funding expires.
The closure would fall during a busy Christmas period, ahead of the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival and comes as a fourth wave of COVID-19 takes hold across much of the state.
Mr Kamerman said the amount of people coming in for a COVID-19 test in Tamworth has doubled during November, but case numbers still remain relatively low.
However, he urged people not to become complacent given the worrying spike of cases across the Hunter New England Health district.
"We're concerned about increasing COVID cases and our precautions being relaxed just as we're about to hit the Christmas season when people get together," he said.
"I noticed that the Chief Health Officer is now recommending that masks should be worn indoors, and that's probably fairly sensible advise."
READ ALSO:
A spokesperson for the Hunter New England Primary Health Network (PHN), said respiratory clinics were established in response to the pandemic and the need for additional testing and support.
"The funding which the PHN receives from the Department of Health for the clinics expires on December 31," the spokesperson said.
"This is a decision of the department in response to the changing needs of the community and the access to alternative sites for testing."
With vaccination rates for a fourth dose sitting just over 43 per cent for the Tamworth LGA, Mr Kamerman urged people to book their vaccination appointments.
"For people that haven't had their fourth vaccination and are over the age of 40, they should probably get it as soon as possible," he said.
In the Hunter New England Health district, cases have risen by nearly a third in one week, from 968 to 1,280 in the week ending November 5.
Across the same period there were 23 people admitted to hospital with COVID-19, including two in ICU, and four COVID-19 related deaths.
Hunter New England public health physician David Durrheim said "aged care facility outbreaks have doubled from four to eight this week in the region".
It comes as a new case was confirmed at the RFBI Tamworth Masonic Retirement Village on Friday. They are currently in hospital.
"The current wave of transmission is being driven by a mix of variants," he said.
"Influenza activity is currently at low levels but influenza vaccination continues to be recommended."
In Tamworth, 129 cases were from PCR tests in the last four weeks, with a further 41 in Armidale, seven in Gunnedah and four in the Liverpool Plains.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News