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A popular seaside holiday town on the Limestone Coast has been rocked by a COVID-19 scare just a week after the reopening of the South Australian border.
Key points:
- Local MP and businesses say COVID cases were "going to happen" with reopening of border
- Limestone Coast community on high alert after multiple exposure sites announced across region over past week
- Business thrilled with border opening, but says it has "come at a cost"
A testing site will be established in the township after a pub, cafes, and a petrol station were identified as exposure sites.
The Limestone Coast, which straddles the Victorian border, has been hit with multiple COVID-19 exposure sites since November 23 when the state's border reopened.
The Caledonian Inn in Robe has been listed as a close contact exposure location.
Co-owner Geoff Prest said he had been in discussions with SA Health officials who told him the site needed to be cleaned but could remain open.
"[SA Health] rang and filled me in on everything that needed to be done — so we're pretty on top of it," Mr Prest said.
"It's very frustrating and very challenging for people in Robe with businesses, because we're going to be exposed with the borders open."
Staff in isolation
Mr Prest said five of his staff members were in isolation.
"We're just a lucky because we've got some kids that have finished uni that are back," Mr Prest said.
"They are back in town and can come in to cover the ones that can't work today.
"We struggle to have enough staff at the best of times, let alone to bring in a 'Team B' on a moment's notice because four of our staff members have been exposed."
Mr Prest said he was "thrilled" about the state's border opening last week, but it came with its drawbacks.
"We thought we might be lucky to get through a week. And we did, we got through one week," he said.
"It's just the world we live in. It's reality. It is what it is, and we will deal with it."
Swab station coming
Member for MacKillop Nick McBride, whose electorate incorporates Robe, said he had received a text from SA Pathology confirming a swabbing station in the town.
"I can't tell you when and where, but I'll get further clarity on that," he said.
"So (people) don't have to travel outside of Robe to get these tests done."
Currently, the closest testing site to Robe is a 50-minute drive to Millicent.
Mr McBride said it was important to have a testing site as close as possible to the exposure locations.
"The easier we make this for everyone, the more people will participate," he said.
"We certainly don't want lots of people going down to Millicent … taking the issue away from Robe to Millicent."
He said the Limestone Coast community knew exposure sites "were going to happen".
"They've been at Naracoorte, they've been at Kingston, now they're at Robe," Mr McBride said.
"They are going to appear more and more, and I think people have just got to be ready for this."
But Mr McBride said the current quarantine process for people "caught out" by exposure locations was "quite cumbersome".
"I'm hoping that that sort of this sort of process is no longer required in the future because this is going to put people off."
'It's frustrating – no question."
ABC South East SA contacted SA Health for comment.