Calls for Bathurst people to get tested after low numbers on weekend

CEO of the health district, Scott McLachlan, has stressed the importance of high testing numbers as the state starts to open up in the coming days.

There continues to be "real concern" for the western region, which recorded eight new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday.

Four of those cases were in Wellington, two were in Narromine, and there was one each in Dubbo and Cowra.

"Case numbers have declined, which looks positive, but we know that testing numbers over the long weekend fell to nearly a record low, so there's some real concern at the moment with decreasing numbers of cases being identified and the decreasing number of tests that are being undertaken," Mr McLachlan said.

"Is there more community spread of COVID-19 than what we're being able to identify?"

In Bathurst, there was 990 tests over the long weekend, compared to more than 3000 in Dubbo.

NSW is due to start opening up from Monday, by which point 70 per cent of adults will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Testing will be crucial.

"We know that COVID can creep around any of our communities, any day of the week," Mr McLachlan said.

"As we head towards the 70 per cent state milestone, we know that things will change. We know that people will start moving around much more freely and we want to try and get on top of COVID spread in the region as quickly as we can in the next week before that occurs."

He assured that testing availability will go largely unchanged in regional NSW as restrictions ease, with drive-through testing to be maintained in many areas.

"Testing is going to be absolutely crucial for us to know where COVID might be creeping around our communities, so, yes, we will be keeping the vast majority of the drive-throughs available, particularly at Bathurst," he said.

Drive-through testing is available at Mount Panorama daily. There is also a walk-in testing facility at Bathurst Hospital, and people can book in to the Bathurst Respiratory Clinic for a test.

Mr McLachlan also urged people to come forward to get their COVID vaccine.

The Australian Defence Force will be at Mount Panorama until Saturday, offering first doses of Pfizer by appointment. GPs and pharmacies also have vaccines.

As of October 3, 89.9 per cent of people in Bathurst aged 15 and older had received their first dose, while 67.7 per cent were fully vaccinated.

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