Healthcare worker allegedly assaulted at COVID-19 testing site in northwest Sydney

A woman who was working at a Sydney COVID-19 testing clinic was allegedly attacked by a man who dislodged her mask and punched her in the head.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys says a man is assisting police following the incident.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys says a man is assisting police following the incident. Source: AAP

A frontline healthcare worker has allegedly been assaulted by a man while working at a COVID-19 testing site in Sydney's northwest.

Police say the woman was approached by an unmasked man while she was working at a Dundas testing site on Monday afternoon.

The man allegedly began filming the 31-year-old worker on his mobile phone while verbally abusing her about vaccinations.

Police say the man then dislodged the woman's mask and punched her in the head.
He fled after several people who were waiting to get tested jumped out of their cars to help the woman, who was treated at the scene and didn't require hospitalisation.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys on Wednesday said a man was assisting police with their inquiries over the alleged assault.

"The behaviour is totally unacceptable, no one would say that there is any reason to behave like that to any person, let alone someone that it out there every single day helping us to get through what is a very challenging situation," he said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard wasn't aware of the incident, but said he had heard of people behaving "absolutely abhorrently" to frontline health staff.

"My message to them is, we're in the middle of a pandemic, those people are there, well trained, very caring to look after you," he said.

With reporting by SBS News.


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Source: AAP, SBS


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