NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has admitted she did not change her schedule while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test.
Speaking to Channel Nine’s Today Show this morning, she confessed to leaving her office door open and coming into contact with other people, rather than self-isolating.
“On budget day, my voice was starting to go,” she said. “I had no sore throat, no scratchy throat, no other symptoms, but I thought in an abundance of caution I’d take a test,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I was told the result would come in 90 minutes, to two hours.
“I didn’t change my schedule, I accepted that, they came, they gave me the test and it came back negative. It was just my larynx.”
She did however admit that she “should have closed her door” while she was waiting for the results on the rapid COVID-19 test.
“Even if there wasn’t a scheduled meeting, people come and go all the time,” she said.
“I’m sure that I was in contact with people, but I always have good social distancing and I knew it was just my larynx, it was just my voice.”
NSW Health guidelines require anyone who has undergone a COVID-19 test to self-isolate until a negative result is received.
“Ordinarily, if I was an ordinary citizen, I wouldn’t have had any symptoms, so I wouldn’t have taken the test,” she said.
“I went over and above … perhaps in that time frame I should have shut the door and not let anyone in but I didn’t do that.
“In hindsight I should have closed my door and not have anything to do with anyone … I was being overly cautious.”
According to media reports, Ms Berejiklian attended meetings with colleagues while she was awaiting COVID-19 test results in parliament last Tuesday.
NSW Health guidelines require anyone who has undergone a COVID-19 test to self-isolate until a negative result is received.
But a spokeswoman for the premier has denied she did the wrong thing as she never had symptoms of the virus.
“At no stage did the premier have COVID-19 symptoms and therefore (she) did not require a test,” she said.
“However, as the premier began losing her voice, she took a precautionary test as she anticipated that she would be asked if she had had a COVID test.”
The test was administered late in the afternoon and in her office, the spokeswoman said.
“A rapid negative result was returned in around two hours.”
Opposition health spokesman Ryan Park said the premier is not above the health advice, and needed to clearly outline the timeline around her COVID-19 test.
“The Premier is not above the health advice. Everyone who has a test should self-isolate until they receive a negative result. It’s vital to avoid another lockdown, protect jobs and keep the economy moving.
“Gladys Berejiklian must provide evidence of the timeline around her COVID-19 test.
“It was clear last week that the Premier had a scratchy throat which we all know is a symptom of COVID.
“There must be no doubt that the Premier followed her own Health Department’s advice.”
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at https://sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW,Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania.
