MORE rapid antigen tests are due to arrive in the next couple of days as Mildura deals with a shortfall in supply.
But the new year may bring an easing of demand following the Victorian Government’s announcement of free tests by the end of January.
Chemist Warehouse Mildura managing partner Eric Oguzkaya said his business had a “10-fold increase” in demand in rapid antigen tests following changes to border requirements and closures of PCR testing sites over the long weekend.
The latest entry conditions for travellers to South Australia require a negative PCR or rapid antigen test within 72 hours of arrival.
The requirement applies to travellers in all communities deemed low risk by the South Australian Government, and includes Mildura, Swan Hill and Wentworth.
Barratt & Smith Pathology closed for three days over Christmas, while Sunraysia Community Health Services pop-up sites were closed on Christmas Day.
Mildura had 19 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, and the number of active cases was 124.
Mr Oguzkaya said there had been “a mixed bag” of consumers looking for rapid antigen tests, including people preparing to travel and others receiving visitors over the holiday period.
He said Chemist Warehouse expected a delivery of “plenty” of nasal-swab tests at lunchtime Friday but cautioned people to “buy (tests) when they needed it”.
“We’ve got a little bit of high demand and less supply, so there will be restrictions on how many we can sell, but hopefully they’ll be lifted shortly,” Mr Oguzkaya said.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley announced on Wednesday that Victorians would get 34 million free rapid antigen tests by the end of January.
On the same day the state posted its highest COVID-19 daily infection tally, with 3767 new cases, the State Government announced it would ramp up access to at-home tests.
“Rapid antigen testing is the way that Victorians can have confidence as they go about living with COVID and making sure that they do their bit to keep the pressure off our hard-working hospitals,” Mr Foley said.
“We would much prefer to have a national approach to what is a national, indeed an international, supply issue. but failing that, as per usual, the states have had to step up over the course of this pandemic and fill the gap.”
How the tests will be distributed was still being worked out.
