New Covid testing clinic opens after Canberrans turned away from tests on Thursday

A new drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic at Brindabella Business Park opened from 8am Friday morning, with hopes it will ease strain on ACT testing facilities.

The Brindabella clinic at the Canberra Airport opened for the first time on Thursday after strain on Exhibition Park In Canberra (EPIC) testing centre saw long waits and lead to people being turned away before receiving tests.

More than 2000 tests were undertaken yesterday, the biggest ACT day of testing yet according to ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said on ABC radio on Friday morning.

"I do want to start with an apology to those people who were turned away from EPIC last night," Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.

"When I left yesterday, my understanding was that everyone who had made it in through the gates before the gates were closed, would be able to be tested last night."

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"But I think they just came to the conclusion that that wasn't going to be possible," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

She said workers at the EPIC clinic were still taking tests until just before midnight on Thursday, and worked well past midnight.

"We also want to reiterate the message that please only go for testing at this time, if you have symptoms, or if you are a close contact or you've been asked to go and get tested by ACT Health," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"Because what is not helping our public health response is if people are anxious, and they just go and get tested."

The full list of Covid testing clinics is available online.

A Canberra Health Services spokeswoman said on Thursday that Canberrans had done the right thing by turning out in record numbers to get tested, and asked those who had been turned away from testing sites to please return on Friday.

"We're very sorry, but we have to look after our staff. They'll be back bright and early in the morning," the spokeswoman said.

"It was a record day for the ACT. We've tested more people today than we ever have before in a single day."

Testing at the Brindabella site was also extended from the planned 8pm cut-off to 10pm before staff were able to go home.

Health authorities urged those who had visited the sites or been in close contact with someone who had to go and get tested.

But testing sites in Mitchell, Pialligo and Weston Creek were overwhelmed by the demand following the announcement.

A queue of cars snaked down Northbourne Avenue over the course of Thursday afternoon due to the high demand. A newly opened testing site near Canberra Airport also quickly filled with cars as people raced to get tested.

The Flemington Road turn-off on Northbourne Avenue was closed and vehicles were diverted to Stirling Avenue.

One woman reported it had taken almost an hour to travel between the Mouat St intersection in Lyneham to the Barton Highway turn-off, a trip that would usually take a few minutes.

The ACT government announced it would ramp up testing capacity at the Mitchell site on Thursday to deal with the surge.

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