Lab shuts Covid-19 testing sites

Australian Clinical Labs made the decision to shut the labs on Monday and said it would progressively reopen from Tuesday as it cleared the backlog of swabs.

Both drive-through and walk-in clinics have been closed in the massive shutdown.

“These closures have been necessary due to the significant increase in testing volumes across the State,” the company said.

One of the sites in Bella Vista remained open for international travel testing only.

NSW Health said testing capacity was under “enormous pressure” and emphasised the only people getting a PCR test should be those who have Covid-19 symptoms, live in a household with a confirmed Covid-19-positive case, or have been told by health authorities to get tested.

The state conducted 96,765 Covid-19 tests on Sunday, with weekends and public holidays often yielding higher demand for tests.

Drive-through sites that are shut include: Clarendon Hawkesbury Showground, Dural, Emerald Hills (Leppington), Granville (Parramatta Rd), Hornsby Overflow Car Park, Hunters Hill, Kingswood, Liverpool, Marsden Park, Minto, Parklea, Penrith, Sydney Olympic Park, Warriewood, Windsor and Winmalee.

Walk-in clinics that are shut include: Ashfield, Blacktown, Campsie, Fairfield, Frenchs Forest, Harris Park, Manly, Narrabri and Windale.

It comes as major testing sites were shut or operating at reduced hours across the Christmas and New Year period, with changes to close contact definitions and testing recommendations hoping to ease queues across PCR testing sites.

People are reportedly still struggling to get tested at PCR clinics despite most state governments announcing sweeping changes to testing regimes.

Scott Morrison announced changes on Thursday after a snap national cabinet meeting, with the new rules designed to ease the pressure on overwhelmed pathology systems and reduce the number of people out of the workforce.

Authorities are pushing for people to use Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) instead of a PCR unless symptomatic or a close contact, but they are in short supply with soaring prices.

There are increasing calls for the federal and state governments to foot the bill for the at-home tests.

Speaking to Sunrise on Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison again ruled out making rapid antigen tests free.

“We already make them free to everyone who is required to have one (and) they are also tax deductible,” Mr Morrison said.

“We are now at this stage of the pandemic we just cannot make everything free because when someone tells you they will make something free, someone will always pay for it, and it is going to be you.”

The Morrison government has come under pressure to follow the lead of other countries including the UK and make RATs free, amid widespread reports of price gouging with some Australian retailers selling five packs for up to $170.

Originally published as Major pathology lab shuts Covid-19 testing clinics due to overwhelming demand