A single mother and school teacher was left frustrated this week after waiting more than 120 hours for her son's COVID-19 test results.
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Heidi Carmichael said she took her son Alexander to be tested on Sunday, before stay-at-home orders were introduced, on the advice of a doctor after she took him in for an ear infection and they noticed his throat was slightly swollen.
Ms Carmichael said he was tested at lunchtime on Sunday but his results were still not back on Friday morning leading to him missing a week of school.
To compound the issue, Ms Carmichael said neither she nor Alexander can work from home and she has run out of paid leave.
"Because the department [of education] directed all schools in our region to continue as normal, the staff in the schools have been told not to send learning from home materials because they are instructed to attend school," she said.
Ms Carmichael said there is also no online content for her to send to her students.
However, she was particularly concerned for people who are seeking medical treatment and cannot see a GP until their receive their COVID results.
Laverty Pathology has issued a statement on its website stating it is processing a record number of tests and despite delays it wanted to reassure people that no tests have been lost.
"We are doing everything we can, including leveraging other parts of our network, to improve our turnaround," it said.
Western NSW Local Health District CEO Scott McLachlan said people who want an update but cannot get through to pathology providers can phone a public health line, 1300 066 055.
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