Get tested if you have any COVID symptoms

Sunshine Coast residents are being strongly urged to get a COVID-19 test even if you have the slightest symptom or if you are unsure if your symptom is COVID-19 related.

If you have one of the following symptoms - fever, shortness of breath, cough, diarrhoea, sore throat, fatigue, runny nose, nausea, loss of smell or loss of taste – please make arrangements to get tested immediately.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group chair Mark Jamieson said testing locations were on the Queensland Health website, and urged community members to check the site regularly as the situation was evolving quickly.

“We’re in this together and the Sunshine Coast has always done a great job keeping our community safe, so let’s keep it up,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“Queensland has never previously had to manage an outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19 so I urge every member of our community to be COVID-19 alert, get tested immediately if you have the slightest symptom and do your bit to help keep us all safe.”

Sunshine Coast Council has closed several facilities in response to the strictest lockdown measures put in place by Queensland Health so far, in the interests of keeping our community safe and discouraging people from leaving home.

“Signage and fencing must be observed at skate parks, BMX tracks, mountain biking trails, playgrounds and exercise equipment which are among the facilities that are off limits.

“In addition, all libraries (including the mobile library), Caloundra Regional Gallery, Bankfoot House, Venue 114, Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny including the Rainforest Discovery Centre, Arts and Ecology Centre, Maroochy Bushland Botanic Gardens, Tanawha, Sunshine Coast Stadium, community halls and venues will be closed during the lockdown.

“Our waste facilities are also closed to the community in line with Queensland Health directives that people should only leave their homes for essential reasons.

“Businesses operating essential services are permitted to access council’s waste facilities during the lockdown period and should use cashless payment.

“Our kerbside rubbish collection service will continue to operate as normal.”

He urged community members needing to contact council during lockdown to use the many online methods available including email and web chat at www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or call 5475 7272 while council’s Customer Contact and Development Information counters were closed.

The Sunshine Coast local government area is among 11 areas across south east Queensland in a three-day lockdown until 4pm Tuesday 3 August.

Under the directives issued by the Queensland Chief Health Officer, residents can only leave their home for limited permitted purposes such as:

• obtaining essential goods or services within 10 kilometres, including healthcare

• exercise (within a 10-kilometre radius from home)

• attending essential work or childcare or school for the children of essential workers

• assisting vulnerable persons

• obtaining a COVID-19 test or vaccination.

Under lock down provisions no visitors are allowed at your residence (excluding volunteers and workers), unless providing support to a vulnerable person.

Be COVID-19 alert

If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, call your doctor or 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) and get tested:

Call emergency services on Triple Zero (000) if you are very sick.

Visit Queensland Health’s website for the full list of testing centres near you, contact tracing locations and for further information.