I HAD a head cold - nothing to worry about normally.
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I was feeling pretty ordinary - runny nose, itchy throat, headache.
I had a dentist appointment the next Thursday, so to do the right thing, I had a Telehealth appointment with a GP who advised me to have a COVID test.
I am currently working from home, which is about 10 minutes to the hospital.
So I rang Bathurst Base Hospital to find out the operating hours for the testing clinic.
I was told they were open until 5pm.
I finished work a little early (4pm) and drove in to town to have the dreaded nasal swab.
As I got to the bottom of the four steps to go up to the clinic, another person was taken in for testing. It was 4.20pm.
The sign on the door said the closing time was 4.45pm, so I took a seat.
At 4.25pm, the previous patient had completed his test and was leaving.
IN OTHER NEWS: Daffodil Cottage decision was wrong, so please reconsider it
A person in full protective gear came out to inform me that they were swamped and weren't doing any further tests that day.
She didn't ask if I had symptoms of COVID, if I had travelled from a hotspot or if I had been in contact with anyone with COVID.
She didn't tell me to isolate, just told me to come back the next day.
I told her that my GP told me to be tested and coming back the next day would be difficult as I had a job and she just shrugged.