Apparently, The Border Mail was told multiple times by different people, a whole lot of COVID tests conducted at Lavington Hall last Thursday had gone missing and people needed to be retested.

The exact situation remained uncertain later in the day, although one hoped a worker's comment on Facebook the tests were delayed, not lost, would prove accurate.

Our attempts to confirm what happened with the pathology company weren't successful, no doubt hampered by the weekend timing of our requests.

For everyone who scrolls, comments and shares on social media, however, Sundays are just another day.

So the lack of official word does nothing to stem a tide of public speculation - in fact, the more time goes by without some formal explanation, the more other theories spread.

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It's another example how clear communication, or not, can impact a community already worried about the present health crisis.

A timely, reassuring response from those questioned can help alleviate fears or at least increase understanding.

Probably Sunday's confusion can't be blamed on any individual; much has been asked of everyone involved in COVID testing over the past week and we all value their efforts.

But it's human nature to talk, wonder and suggest and nowadays those ideas can be heard more quickly and widely.

Authorities and companies need to acknowledge this and have a system in place to respond as best they can.

MORE COMMENT

A more light-hearted "communication breakdown" has been explained, sort of, with a subcontractor blamed for a goat's head sign appearing on the Hume Highway instead of COVID information.

Many motorists spotted the unexpected sight over several days until it was eventually rectified.

The reaction has been mixed, some using the blunder to bemoan the use of an outside firm.

Others shake their head at the fuss, rightly pointing to more important issues, but many are still enjoying the one-liners it provokes, possibly aiming to create the greatest of all time.

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