On Monday, April 6 NSW Health broadened its testing criteria for residents of Nowra and South Nowra, asking anyone with fever or flu-like symptoms to come forward for testing.

Previously, only people who had returned from overseas in the past 14 days or had been in close contact with a confirmed coronavirus case were eligible for testing.

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A NSW Health spokesperson said it had increased testing in areas where there was some community transmission.

It announced a dozen locations where it was broadening the testing criteria, including Nowra and South Nowra, Waverley, Woollahra, Dee Why, Manly, Ryde, Macquarie Park, Broken Hill, Lake Macquarie, Manning, Byron and Port Macquarie.

"These are areas which we believe may be at elevated risk of community transmission, and we are encouraging people in these areas with symptoms to be tested for COVID-19," a spokesperson said.

"This approach is in line with national COVID-19 control guidelines, which recommend different testing criteria for different risk settings.

"NSW Health is lowering the clinical thresholds for testing individual patients in these areas and asking anyone with a fever or acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) to be tested for COVID-19.

"These recommendations are also being shared with NSW GPs and other clinicians to help implement this increased testing in the targeted areas."

The Shoalhaven COVID-19 assessment clinic is located at Shoalhaven Hospital and accessible via the Shoalhaven Street driveway.

The clinic is open 7 days a week from 8.30am to 4.30pm and can be contacted by phone on 1300 002 108.

A GP referral is not required and tests are free. COVID-19 assessment clinics are also located at Shellharbour and Wollongong Hospitals.

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