Health services in Albury-Wodonga and Wangaratta set to start drive-through coronavirus screening from next week

The organisation is planning to test patients while in their vehicles to limit any potential spread of the bug at its screening hub at Wodonga.

"Our planning is along the way for us to be implementing that," Albury Wodonga Health's director pandemic response Sally Squire said.

Drive-through testing began this week at hospitals in Adelaide and Melbourne.

Northeast Health Wangaratta acting chief executive Tim Griffiths said a clinic away from the public hospital would be set up for testing.

"The screening clinic will provide a surge and escalation capacity if there is a COVID-19 outbreak in the community," he said.

"In the event of an escalation in COVID-19, our plan provides for a dedicated and isolated area of the hospital to establish a Fever Clinic and cohort admitted patients."

Those being screened still need to talk to a GP or hospital hotline before testing.

Both health organisations have posted signs at the entrances to their buildings warning those with cold and flu symptoms not to enter.

"We want to get on the front foot about the best way to prevent transmission and if you're not well please don't come into hospital," Mrs Squire said.

Asked if it was inevitable there would be a positive coronavirus test in the region, Mrs Squire said "it's hard to say" before adding "the world's a small place and people move around".

She declined to say how many tests had been done by Albury Wodonga Health, but denied not releasing the figure was due to not wanting to create community alarm.

Mr Griffiths said at Wangaratta there had been "low numbers needing to be tested for COVID-19 and there have been no positive tests".

Meanwhile, Albury Wodonga Private, Murray Valley Private and The Border Cancer Hospitals have offered to take on some scheduled public operations, given the impact of coronavirus action.

Chief executive Sheryl Keir, said her hospitals were on standby to ease the surgical burden at Albury Wodonga Health to ensure it had the capacity to cater for COVID-19 patients.

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