ACT government won't commit to extra Covid testing site despite huge demand

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said if high demand and long wait times continued through Tuesday, an additional facility would be "considered".

"We've certainly seen over the previous periods where we've had these high demand days that usually only lasts for two or three days," she said.

"So by the time we stand up another facility will start to see that demand and change normal."

However, ACT residents have been flocking to Canberra's two main testing sites at EPIC and Weston Creek in droves since outbreaks across the country have forced thousands under stay-at-home orders.

Last Thursday, Ms Stephen-Smith urged residents to plan ahead and take some food and water due to a three-hour wait at EPIC.

More than 1000 negative tests were returned in the past 24 hours and 1100 in the previous 24 hours.

On Monday, ACT Health said anyone who didn't need to get tested urgently should isolate and come back the next day, or later in the week.

Kate, who didn't want to provide her full name, tried to get a test on Monday but couldn't because the wait was too long.

She arrived at the Weston Creek site just before it opened on Tuesday morning and waited about an hour to get in.

She said several people pulled up and drove off after checking out the queue formed outside the facility, which is the only place for children under two to be tested.

Kate is fully vaccinated but works with vulnerable people and said she wanted to do the right thing.

"I tried to get tested yesterday, but I couldn't because of the wait time," she said.

"I was unable to arrange childcare for the wait, and my [children] aren't capable of waiting for that long without a nap and toilet breaks."

There has been several reports from residents turning up to get a swab and leaving at the prospect of a more than five-hour wait.

Testing is also available at two respiratory clinics in Crace and Greenway which require appointments and have reduced opening hours recently.

Ms Stephen-Smith said there was discussion with the federal government, who fund those centres, to increase availability and operating hours.

Ms Stephen-Smith said Monday was typically very busy at testing sites and wait times had decreased on Tuesday.

She said opening a new site was a "balance of resources" and increasing workers at existing facilities was more efficient.

"We will get more additional tests by adding some staff to Weston Creek than we would per staff member setting up a new facility," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"If we set up a new facility that gives us an extra surge capacity but it also needs more staff than the surge capacity at Weston Creek. It's really a balancing of our resources."

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The Health Minister said there was high demand across health services at the hospital, testing and vaccine clinics and that several staff were on sick leave.

Ms Stephen-Smith said if wait times kept up through Tuesday the government would "consider" opening another site.

"Depending on whether it looks like it's tailing off, or whether it is continuing at a really high level," she said.

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