A man has been charged after a healthcare worker was allegedly assaulted while working at a COVID-19 testing site in Sydney’s northwest earlier this week.
On Monday afternoon a female staff member at a Dundas COVID-19 testing site was approached by a man who was not wearing a mask.
NSW Police were told the man began filming the 31-year-old worker on his mobile phone, before verbally abusing her about vaccinations.
The 50-year-old man then allegedly dislodged the woman’s mask and punched her in the head.
Several people awaiting testing exited their cars and assisted the woman.
The man fled the scene on foot.
The woman was treated at the scene and did not require hospitalisation.
Police have now arrested and charged the man with common assault, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug as well as breaching public health orders.
Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys told reporters the unmasked man “pushed a telephone into her face, dislodged her mask, then struck her in the face”, and said “horrible things” about vaccinations before fleeing.
“The behaviour is totally unacceptable,” Mr Worboys said on Wednesday.
“No one would say that there is any reason to behave like that to any person let alone someone that is out there every single day helping us to get through what is a very challenging situation with the pandemic.”
The man has been granted conditional bail to attend Parramatta Local Court on September 28.
AAP
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