A promising sign has emerged as hospital admissions dip below 1000. Pensioners are now eligible for free rapid tests — but pharmacies still don’t have enough stock.
Victoria has recorded 11,695 new Covid cases overnight, along with 17 deaths.
Hospital admissions have dipped below 1000, with 998 patients receiving treatment.
Of those, 119 are in ICU, including 47 on a ventilator.
Currently, 32 per cent of eligible Victorians have received three doses of a Covid vaccine.
Meanwhile, pensioners are among more than 1.6 million Victorian concession card holders now eligible for free rapid antigen tests.
But Victorian Pharmacy Guild president Anthony Tassone is pleading for the public to be patient saying most pharmacies don’t have any stock.
“They’re not expecting to have stock until the very end of the month or possibly into February,” Mr Tassone said.
“Pharmacies have been on the receiving end of the frustrations of members of the public with regards to the lack of available rapid antigen tests.
“We do hope that the public is as understanding as possible.”
Around 16 million tests are expected across the network before the end of January, with a further 33 million to arrive in the first three weeks of February.
Access to subsidised rapid antigen tests was prompted by concerns about the cost for some of Australia’s most vulnerable.
Under the program, concession card holders will be eligible for 10 tests over the next three months, with a maximum of five tests a month.
Those eligible for the free tests include: Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or Orange Card, Health Care Card, Low Income Health Card.
Pharmacies will be reimbursed $10 plus GST for each test, as well as an administration fee of $4.30 per transaction.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that pharmacies would have to source their own rapid antigen test supplies to give to concession card holders.
Although not all pharmacies have signed up to the program, Mr Tassone said those that had were giving a lot of thought about how they can balance the stock holding to make some available to concession card holders.
Some pharmacies have also sourced extra tests directly from manufacturers, instead of wholesalers.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is planning to provide a list of all pharmacies providing rapid antigen testing for concession card holders via its ‘find a pharmacy’ website.
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