Stay home if you can to help contain COVID-19 - that's the message from Eurobodalla Shire after eight cases were linked to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club.
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"Eight cases of COVID-19 are now linked to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club and Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes is urging residents to follow the advice from NSW Health," a spokesperson said on Monday, July 20.
The first positive tests were revealed on Friday after a father and son returned to Sydney after dining at the club and staying at the Easts holiday park on Wharf Road. Six new cases were announced on Sunday.
"Two of those were family members of the father and son diagnosed after they returned to Sydney from Batemans Bay last Wednesday," the council said.
"Two were diners at the club, one is a staff member at the club and the other a close contact of those previously diagnosed.
"Of the eight total cases connected to the club, one is a local resident."
Mayor Innes said she was "confident the Eurobodalla community will once again rise to the challenge".
"We have been through so much already and we can do it again," she said.
"We must all take responsibility and follow advice from health authorities, especially in a region like ours with an older demographic," Councillor Innes said.
"The Premier is encouraging us to limit travel, and I'd suggest that in Eurobodalla, especially now, we follow that advice and stay home if we can.
"It's a tough time for everyone. Let's continue being sensible and kind to each other.
"Our thoughts are with the staff at the Soldiers Club. They've done everything right and I urge all Eurobodalla businesses to follow their lead.
"I know the constantly changing advice is exhausting for businesses, but if you don't have a COVID-safe plan in place already, please get onto it today. Lives could depend on this."
NSW Health is now directing people who visited the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on Monday 13 July, Wednesday 15 July, Thursday 16 July and Friday 17 July, to immediately be tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of symptoms.
Those people must stay in isolation for a full 14 days even if their test is negative. Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms should also be retested, even if they have had a negative result previously.
People who were at the club on Tuesday, July 14, are advised to monitor for symptoms and seek testing if symptoms develop.
Contact tracing is underway and investigations continue.
Southern NSW Local Health District has opened a COVID-19 pop-up clinic at the Hanging Rock Oval car park on Beach Road, Batemans Bay. No appointment is necessary.
"Anyone feeling unwell - even with the mildest of symptoms such as a runny nose, scratchy throat cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, tiredness, loss of taste/smell, nausea, diarrhoea or muscle aches - should self-isolate and seek COVID-19 testing, so cases in the community are identified as quickly as possible," the health service said.
However testing clinics have attracted long queues.
