Home Covid tests could soon be available as testing clinics overrun in SA

The sale of over-the-counter rapid Covid tests will be discussed when health authorities meet – as the opposition calls for extra resources at swamped test clinics.

Expanding the availability of special rapid Covid tests to the general public will be high on the agenda when health authorities meet on Tuesday.

The antigen tests already have been allowed for high-risk medical workers but South Australians are still banned from buying them in supermarkets, despite approval interstate.

But on Monday, authorities said SA would soon be removing the restriction on the sale of home rapid antigen tests.

“We will be lifting the restriction on sale for rapid antigen testing in the near future … as our vaccination rate is getting up towards 90 percent .... and we have more cases in the community that’s when the rapid antigen tests will be most useful,” Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said on Monday morning.

She said rapid antigen tests could be available in South Australian stores before the end of the year.

“We’re just getting to the next stage (of rapid antigen tests) which will probably be in the next week or so when you can purchase your own,” Prof Spurrier told fiveAA on Wednesday morning.

“But what we do want to make sure is people absolutely understand, if they have symptoms, they need to go get an SA Pathology or Clinpath PCR test done.”

Later, Premier Steven Marshall added: “There’s been a massive flex up in testing. About 90 per cent of all results are coming back within 12 hours as is best practice.”

“Here is South Australia we are using them (rapid antigen tests) in medical settings, in dental settings. The rapid antigen test has its place and we will, at the appropriate time, make that available.”

He said making the tests more readily available would be discussed at a meeting this afternoon and at the transition committee meeting on Tuesday morning.

It comes as the opposition is demands the state government bolster resources at Covid testing clinics as case numbers soar and motorists report wait times of up to six hours.

The line for Victoria Park’s 24-hour testing site was set at about three hours after 6am Monday. At one point overnight cars were reportedly queuing as far as Wakefield Rd.

And there were reports of wait times of six hours at various sites over the weekend.

The Bedford Park drive-through testing clinic turned cars away after a more than a five-hour wait on Sunday afternoon.

The state recorded 80 new cases on Sunday, and more than 70 on Saturday.

Labor health spokesman Chris Picton is urging an increase in resources and capacity at the state’s major Covid-19 testing clinics.

He said it was “completely unacceptable” that resources hadn’t been put in for people to get a timely test.

The Covid testing site at the Royal Adelaide Hospital at 9.30am on Monday, December 20. Picture: Michael Marschall

“Everyone knew that when the borders opened there were going to be massive demands from people coming from interstate and also from people at exposure locations having to get tested,’ he said.

“However, in the past week we’ve seen Covid-positive patients ramped, and South Australians waiting hours to do the right thing and get tested.”

One man also reported wait times for test results had also increased to more than a day.

“Just got results after 28 hour wait, make sure you leave plenty of time if you’re hoping to catch a flight,” he said.

On a Facebook discussion page called SA Covid testing station lines, one woman said the line at the Repat testing station was “massive” at 4.30pm Sunday, with cars expected to be turned away.

Victoria Park’s Covid testing site at 8am on Monday, December 20. Picture: Michael Marschall

The man said he had to re-book his flight due to the unexpected long wait.

On average, more than 17,000 people are tested for Covid-19 each day in South Australia.

Prof Spurrier admitted on Adelaide radio on Monday morning it was a challenge to keep up with the numbers.

“I think as a community we just have to be mindful there’s only a certain number of people in SA that can do these jobs,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“I think there’s a shortage of people across the board because our borders have been shut, and we don’t have the students, we don't have the seasonal workers coming from overseas that we would’ve had in the past.”

She said SA Health had recruited and trained new employees in an effort to keep up with demand.

“We have definitely bolstered the workforce … there’s only a limited number of people in South Australia to employ, and all sectors are finding it difficult, there’s just not enough staff,” she said.

“There’s absolutely no way we could be criticised to say we haven’t put the resources in, we certainly have.”