Major resources companies and Western Australia’s leading researchers are working with the state government to roll out COVID-19 testing among fly-in fly-out (FIFO) mining and resources workers who do not have symptoms.
Resources companies including Chevron and Woodside are participating in the research study to test workers for COVID-19.
The research forms part of the DETECT program, a WA-based population study focused on testing targeted groups of people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
The testing among FIFO workers is the second pillar of the DETECT program, a joint initiative of the Department of Health and the WA research community.
The DETECT program will examine the prevalence of COVID-19 in key sectors of the WA community and helps to provide greater certainty around possible undetected transmission of the disease in the State.
The announcement is the start of the DETECT FIFO project led by Curtin University and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. It will engage with mining companies who are supporting the screening of workers for COVID-19.
It is expected that nearly 30,000 tests will be conducted during the life of the project.