‘They hang up on you’: Health worker with COVID-19 slams state government handling of crisis

A Melbourne healthcare worker with COVID-19 has slammed the way the Health Department has handled the coronavirus crisis, saying she has been hung up on after lengthy waits to speak to someone about her positive result.

Anna* told Neil Mitchell her husband works in aged care, and she believes that is how they both contracted the virus.

She says he husband was tested for coronavirus at work, but then told to keep working while awaiting his results.

“The Health Department came in and they were tested on more than one occasion and they just went about their day,” she said.

“That was the Health Department ruling.”

Later, her husband developed symptoms of COVID-19 and was tested privately.

He returned a positive result, and Anna also tested positive a few days later.

But she says getting information from health authorities has been impossible.

“I’m really disappointed in the Health Department. I’ve tried several days to get more information,” she said.

“The phone calls go unanswered.

“You get put on hold.

“You get to the front of the line and they hang up on you.

“I’ve tried Canberra, I’ve tried communicable diseases. I have not spoken to one single person.”

Press PLAY below for Anna’s full call to Neil Mitchell.

* not her real name.