For renal dialysis patient Rere Tonga, she sees her choice right now as literally life or death: "It's either get dialysis with COVID-positive patients or don't turn up to dialysis and die within two weeks".
And she's not alone in being forced to weigh up an impossible decision.
The Northern Territory's 2022 COVID outbreak has now hit most, if not all, of the region's renal dialysis clinics and hostels, with the government confirming there's been positive cases among renal patients in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Ms Tonga receives her treatment at the Nightcliff Renal Unit three times a week and says the presence of coronavirus in the facility — even if cases are isolated in another section — is terrifying.
Immunocompromised patients, such as Ms Tonga, are at greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease if infected.
"I haven't been doing anything for the past two years, I haven't flown down to visit my Mum's gravesite, which we do every year," Ms Tonga said.
"I've been putting in all the different precautions required.
"The place that's supposed to keep us safe is bringing positive COVID cases in."
Another renal patient in Darwin, Stephen Goodall, said he knew of others on dialysis who were skipping appointments to avoid the potential threat.
"It's happening now," Mr Goodall said.
"People are missing appointments, they're missing schedules.
"I would imagine, if I missed longer than a week I would be seriously sick, probably ICU level, and then what happens after that?
Measures are in place, NT Health Minister says
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said there were measures in place at the Nightcliff centre including screening patients for the virus before they walked through the doors.
Ms Fyles also said that staff there were all fully vaccinated and wore "the appropriate PPE".
She urged renal patients not to miss their treatment.
"It's so vital, particularly with dialysis, that they attend all of their care and don't end up acutely unwell," Ms Fyles said.
NT Health said in a statement that "all [government] renal facilities have comprehensive COVID-19 management plans" and listed specific measures in place across the Top End and red centre.
In spite of the measures, Ms Tonga said authorities should've acted sooner.
"We've had two years to prepare for this … I definitely think they could've done more," she said.
Patients want COVID-free facility
Both Ms Tonga and Mr Goodall said the government should allocate a renal centre that could be completely COVID-free, which only patients who have tested negative were allowed to use.
Ms Tonga said an existing renal facility in Palmerston could be repurposed to suit.
"If I test positive, that's fine, I'm willing to stay [at the Nightcliff centre]," Ms Tonga said.
"But I don't want to be there at risk of getting COVID three times a week."
Both patients also said that staff at the Nightcliff unit were doing the best they could to keep patients safe under the circumstances, but were also at risk of contracting the virus.
