Manoora (Wuchopperen) Respiratory Clinic

Wuchopperen Health Service
6 Moignard Street
Manoora
Phone: (07) 4080 1068
Email: enquiries@wuchopperen.org.au
Website: www.wuchopperen.org.au

How to book an appointment: Community members experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or fatigue can book an appointment at Manoora (Wuchopperen) Respiratory Clinic by calling (07) 4080 1068.

Opening hours: Phone (07) 4080 1068 for the latest available appointment times.

Charters Towers Respiratory Clinic

Gold City Medical Centre
1 Gill Street
Charters Towers QLD 4820
Phone: (07) 4787 7203
Email: respiratoryclinic@goldcitymedical.com.au
Website: www.charterstowersrespiratory.com

How to book an appointment: Community members experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or fatigue can book an appointment at Charters Towers Respiratory Clinic by calling (07) 4787 7203 or online.

Opening hours: Phone (07) 4787 7203 or visit the Charters Towers Respiratory Clinic online booking page for the latest available appointment times.

Innisfail Respiratory Clinic

Mamu Health Services Limited
2/180 Edith Street
Innisfail QLD 4860
Phone: 1800 765 966
Website: www.hotdoc.com.au/medical-centres/innisfail-QLD-4860/innisfail-respiratory-clinic/doctors

How to book an appointment: Community members experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or fatigue can book an appointment at Innisfail Respiratory Clinic by calling 1800 765 966.

Opening hours: Phone 1800 765 966 for the latest available appointment times.

Townsville Respiratory Clinic

Townsville Respiratory Clinic
Upper Ross Medical Centre
1199 Riverway Drive
Rasmussen QLD 4815
Phone: 0432 488 997
Fax: (07) 4789 0267
Email: manager@urmc.com.au
Website: www.urmc.com.au

How to book an appointment: Community members experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or fatigue can book an appointment at Townsville Respiratory Clinic by calling 0432 488 997 or online.

Opening hours: Phone 0432 488 997 or visit the Townsville Respiratory Clinic online booking page for the latest available appointment times.

Whitsundays Respiratory Clinic

48/226 Shute Harbour Road
Cannonvale QLD 4802
Phone: (07) 4804 5664
Email: respiratoryclinic@affinitymedical.com.au
Website: www.affinitymedical.com.au

How to book an appointment: Community members experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or fatigue can book an appointment at the Whitsunday Respiratory Clinic by calling (07) 4804 5664 or online.

Opening hours: Phone (07) 4804 5664 or visit the Whitsundays Respiratory Clinic online booking page for the latest available appointment times.

NQPHN is working with GPs across North Queensland to provide access to respiratory clinics where you can safely get tested for COVID-19.

Patients must make an appointment online or by phone prior to attending a GP Respiratory Clinic.

Patients do not need a GP referral before attending the clinics. The clinics are free of charge to all patients.

There is a rigorous process including a site inspection before approval. On occasion, these sites have been set up near other facilities and local spaces, and are structured to keep the local community as safe as possible. With the COVID-19 priority now on testing and understanding the spread of the virus, screening and respiratory clinics are more important than ever. General practices are also involved in local community testing.

Fever clinics are specialist clinics to assess people who may be infected with COVID-19. These clinics help to keep people who may be contagious away from other areas of hospitals and health centres. This helps to reduce the potential spread of the virus and keeps the emergency department available for emergencies.

Fever clinics are managed by Hospital and Health Services. For details of your closest clinic, please contact your GP or local hospital.

Booking ahead for an appointment at the COVID-19 GP Respiratory Clinics helps the clinics maintain the standards for physical distancing. Only people who have symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested.

Appointments can be booked using the links above under ‘Locations’ for each respiratory clinic.

No, you do not need a referral from your GP to book an appointment at one of these clinics.

Yes, it is safe to attend the clinics. These clinics are set-up to maintain social distancing.

Suspected cases are identified during a pre-screen and managed appropriately. You may be asked to stay in your car until someone comes out with a mask.

Personal protective equipment is available and will be used in line with clinical guidelines from the Australian Department of Health.

A doctor or a nurse will assess your respiratory condition and identify if you meet the testing criteria for COVID-19.

If you do meet the criteria, they will test you using swabs, collecting a sample from your nose or throat.

They will tell you when to expect your results back and will let you know how you will be contacted about the results.

They will give you a plan of care before you leave. This may include advising you to self-isolate in your home until the results of the test come back, seeing your doctor, and providing a script to take to your pharmacy.

Vaccination experts recommend influenza vaccination for all people aged 6 months and over.

Under the National Immunisation Program, free influenza vaccines are provided to the following groups who are at higher risk of complications from influenza:

• children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
• people aged 6 months and over with certain medical conditions that increase their chance of severe influenza and its complications
• pregnant women (at any stage during pregnancy)
• people aged 65 years and over.

Free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program are now available. Check with your immunisation provider to find out when they will have the vaccine available and when you can book in to get the vaccine.

Book your appointment to get vaccinated to ensure you have the best protection at the peak of the season (usually June to September). However, it’s never too late to get vaccinated as influenza can spread all year round.

Free influenza vaccines are available from GPs, community health clinics, and eligible pharmacies.

To locate a service in your area, you can search the National Health Services Directory.

If you are not eligible for a free influenza vaccine, you can buy the vaccine from your GP, a pharmacy, or another immunisation provider.

The influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccines can be safely given at the same visit.

The best way to protect yourself against getting both infections this winter is to make sure you’ve had your influenza vaccine and are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any recommended booster doses.

When you book in for your influenza vaccination, talk to your vaccination provider about whether they can administer both vaccines.

The Australian Immunisation Register records vaccines given to all people in Australia.

Your immunisation provider must report all influenza vaccinations to the Register. This includes some personal information such as your name, date of birth, contact details, and your Medicare card number.

Find out how we manage this data in the Privacy Policy for the Australian Immunisation Register.

The flu is caused by the influenza virus. There are many different strains and they can change every year.

The flu has different complications than the common cold and can lead to other health concerns for those infected including:

More common side effects

• bronchitis
• croup
• pneumonia
• ear infections

Other health complications

• heart and other organ damage
• brain inflammation and brain damage
• death.

The flu is easily spread from person to person. Most infections happen in winter.

• Runny nose or sneezing.
• Cough or sore throat.
• Fever and chills.
• Headache.
• Body aches.
• Vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children).

Symptoms usually start about one to three days after catching the flu and can last for a week or more. Some people can be mildly affected, while others can become seriously ill.

A common cold is not the same as the flu, although some of the symptoms are similar.

The flu can affect people of all ages.

People at highest risk of being hospitalised with flu are:

• babies
• people more than 65 years old
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• pregnant women
• people with long-term medical conditions
• people who have weakened immune systems
• people who are obese
• people who smoke
• people who haven’t been vaccinated against the flu.

Long-term medical conditions that can lead to you having a serious case of the flu include:

• heart disease
• lung disease
• nervous system conditions like multiple sclerosis
• liver and kidney disease
• diabetes
• blood diseases.

The flu is easily spread and very infectious, and occurs:

• when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and you breathe it in
• through direct contact with fluid from an infected person’s coughs or sneezes
• by touching a contaminated surface with the flu virus on it, and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose.

The flu spreads easily through families, workplaces, childcare centres, and schools.

If you have the flu, you can help stop the disease spreading by:

• staying away from childcare, school, work or other places where they could spread the infection until you are well
• covering your coughs and sneezes
• washing your hands often.

If you have a health concern one easy way to gain a better understanding is to use the Health Direct Symptom Checker.

Your doctor can diagnose the flu by:

• checking your symptoms
• asking if you’ve been in contact with someone who has the flu
• swabbing your nose or throat or taking a blood sample to test for the virus.

If you have influenza your doctor may be required to notify your state or territory health department.

Mild flu gets better on its own without any treatment.

You can relieve the symptoms by:

• resting – stay home from work
• drinking fluids, particularly water
• taking paracetamol to reduce pain and fever
• using decongestant medicines.

If diagnosed, you may be given medicines which if given early can help shorten how long illness lasts.

Antibiotics should not be used to treat colds or the flu, which are viral — not bacterial — infections.

People with a serious case of the flu may need to go to hospital. Even with treatment, some people with severe flu may die.

People should seek medical advice if you experience:

• difficulty breathing
• shortness of breath
• chest pain or severe abdominal pain
• confusion
• sudden dizziness
• severe vomiting or vomiting that won’t stop.

If you’re getting concerned about your health, talk to your GP.

Call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for free 24-hour assistance from a registered nurse.

A pharmacist can also help with medications that will aid symptoms like body pain or a cough.

If you’re feeling really unwell, call triple zero (000) for assistance.