‘Stock up’: PM’s pitch amid Covid spike

Mr Albanese has ruled out extending the program – which was introduced earlier this year – despite a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country and calls for Australians to start wearing masks again.

It comes as the government affirms it will not extend the paid pandemic leave scheme.

Doctors and pharmacists are urging the federal government not to end the RAT program, which allows those with a Pensioner Concession Card, Low Income Health Care Card and Seniors Card access to up to 10 free rapid antigen tests over three months.

Mr Albanese said the government couldn’t afford to keep the program going forever, and put the blame on the previous government.

“To be clear, my government has not made this decision. This is a decision that was inherited from the former government,” Mr Albanese said.

“We inherited a range of positions from the former government, and we also inherited a trillion dollars of debt.

“I’d encourage concession cardholders to go and get their 10 free rapid antigen tests that they’re eligible for by the end of the month – there’s a lot of time to go and do that.”

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia said the decision to end the program was “disappointing and confusing”, and “flies in the face” of the growing number of cases.

“The government has been proactive in increasing the eligibility for booster shots as well as making antiviral medicines more accessible,” acting national guild president Nick Panayiaris said.

“However, to end the concessional RATs scheme seems at odds with everything else being done at the moment.

“If the scheme is removed it will add pressure to government testing hubs and also potentially add to delays in accessing antivirals – delays that could see patients unable to get these medications (on time).”

Amid the third Omicron wave of the year, Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledged it was “very concerning” how much pressure the country’s hospital systems were under.

“It’s likely over coming weeks that millions of Australians will catch Covid-19, some of them catching it again after perhaps having caught it earlier this year,” Mr Butler told Channel 7.

“Obviously we want to reduce that number and limit transmission through people, so think about wearing masks in indoor spaces especially where you cannot socially distance, but our main focus has to be on reducing the number of people who get severely unwell, who are at risk of attending hospital, or even worse.”

Both Mr Butler and Mr Albanese have called for all Australians eligible for their third or fourth doses to not hesitate.

“We know that will lift their protection over winter,” Mr Butler said.

Originally published as Government rules out extending free RAT scheme, PM says stock up before it ends