A Woman Who Got A False Negative In Testing Stuff-Up Is Terrified She Infected Her Fam At Xmas

covid testing

After the news yesterday that a Sydney COVID testing centre had mistakenly sent negative results to over 400 COVID-positive people, those affected by the stuff-up are now coming to terms with what that actually means for them.

Stephanie Colonna was one of the 400-odd people who received a Christmas message saying she was COVID-negative after going in for COVID testing last week.

Speaking on Nine’s Today this morning, Colonna explained that she was self-isolating as she lives with young family members and was a close contact. When she received her negative result Colonna rejoined the fam and baby-sat her young niece and nephew, who are aged just one and three.

“I had symptoms Monday and Tuesday, because I went out for a weekend away with friends, and then I went to get tested Monday and Tuesday, but they were turning me away, and all the clinics were at capacity, and were closing because of the heat. So, I went on Wednesday, got tested [and] isolated,” Colonna explained during a live video cross on Today.

She says that she was “mortified” once she got the text on Boxing Day explaining that her COVID testing result was wrong and that she was indeed positive.
COVID
Stephanie Colonna’s texts from SydPath. Credit: Channel Nine

“To get different results, you don’t know what to feel. [It] scares me and worries me, because if [my niece and nephew] are positive, I’m the one to blame, because I’ve infected them now.”

Like many people who have received positive COVID testing results during the current outbreak, Colonna says she hasn’t heard from NSW Health despite official messaging being that you’ll be contacted by NSW Public Health staff “with further information and advice”.

“I haven’t heard from them yet. I just got the message saying you are positive. I haven’t heard nothing – they haven’t contacted me yet. I understand they have so many people to contact, but I haven’t heard from them,” Colonna told Today.

With cases soaring above 6,000 for the past three days, NSW Health certainly have their hands full. Luckily, the Australian Government’s Department of Health have published a helpful guide to managing COVID at home if you’ve been struck down and don’t know wtf to do next.

In the meantime, Vic and NSW restrictions have changed in the wake of the outbreak, with other states also reporting rises in cases.

Lines for COVID testing are still insanely long. In NSW, premier Dominic Perrottet has been asking people who are not unwell to stop lining up for COVID testing.

Make rapid antigen tests free and we will, buddy!

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