The BreastScreen NSW clinic in Miranda has reopened this week after a four-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BreastScreen NSW announced this week it had recommenced operations at selected clinics in South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Shoalhaven regions following a "temporary suspension of services".
In a statement supplied to the Leader, BreastScreen NSW said services recommenced at its Miranda clinic on October 11, and would recommence at Kogarah on Monday, October 18.
"We encourage women to monitor the BreastScreen NSW website for ongoing updates as additional clinics reopen," the statement said.
"BreastScreen NSW has implemented COVID-19 safe measures at its clinics and mobile screening vans to protect women, staff and the wider community.
"It is now mandatory for all NSW Health staff to be double vaccinated by Tuesday, November 30.
"BreastScreen NSW requires all clients to wear a mask to their appointment.
"To ensure adequate physical distancing, we request that clients attend their screening appointment alone.
"If you feel unwell with symptoms associated with COVID-19 prior to your appointment, please stay at home and contact BreastScreen to reschedule your appointment.
"We continue to urge any women with questions regarding their breast health, or experiencing breast symptoms to see their regular doctor without delay to get a referral for diagnostic testing, which continues to be the nationally recommended pathway for symptomatic women."
All BreastScreen NSW clinics throughout Sydney were closed in June due to the COVID-19 Delta pandemic.
This included services located at Miranda and St George Hospital at Kogarah, as well as Campbelltown, Liverpool, Wattle Grove, Wetherill Park and the Hawkesbury.
The closure later extended across all of NSW as case numbers grew and the "need to redeploy staff to support the pandemic response at each local health district".
BreastScreen NSW said at the time "the decision to suspend screening was made in response to the increasing risk posed by the COVID-19 Delta strain and a need to redeploy staff to support the pandemic response at each local health district".
In a statement in September, BreastScreen NSW BreastScreen NSW said it was working closely with services at each local health district to resume screening "as soon as conditions allow".
"As clinics reopen, we will be prioritising women who had their appointment cancelled during the suspension to rebook their appointment as soon as it is possible in their local area," it said.
"The reopening of clinics will be gradual, with the decision to open each clinic made on a case-by-case basis according to the level of risk and operational considerations posed by the COVID-19 Delta strain in the area."
BreastScreen NSW is a free screening service for women aged 50 to 74 with no cancer symptoms.
It is run by Cancer Institute NSW and managed by local health districts.
The suspension of the service has sparked fears it will lead to much later breast cancer diagnosis and worse outcomes for patients.
