Chris Minns urges closure of NSW Covid-19 testing sites

The closure of temporary Covid-19 testing sites across NSW could soon begin, Premier Chris Minns has revealed, declaring “the time has come” to shut the facilities down.

The closure of temporary Covid-19 testing sites across NSW could begin as early as Wednesday, Premier Chris Minns has revealed, declaring “the time has come” to shut the ­facilities down.

A fixture in carparks and on roadsides during the early peaks of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Minns said he had directed Health Minister Ryan Park to start the process of axing the PCR testing sites throughout the state as their use dropped dramatically.

“(The Health Minister is) going to speak to the chief health officer and (NSW Health) and (we’ll) have more to say about that in the next 24 hours,” the Premier said on Tuesday.

There are still 165 Covid testing clinics operational across the state, including 88 drive-through and 77 walk-in clinics, costing taxpayers millions while the demand for them has dramatically decreased.

In 2021 it was revealed the NSW government had racked up a Medicare bill of half a billion dollars on PCR testing, contributed to by the widespread testing sites.

A Covid testing line at 4Cyte Pathology at Ultimo in Sydney in 2021, at a time where three hour plus waiting times were occurring. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr Minns acknowledged that “a lot of money” was currently being spent on maintaining the clinics, saying their lack of use and cost meant they should be shut down.

“We need to make sure that public money has been protected,” he said, adding he had driven past one testing site on Tuesday “and it was empty”.

Premier Chris Minns on Tuesday flagged that the temporary sites could be very quickly shut down. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“They’re temporary facilities, they’re not meant to be permanent,” he said.

It is understood the NSW government will finalise a figure on how much money would be saved by shutting down the facilities in the ­coming days.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said earlier on Tuesday the government was reviewing whether the clinics were giving taxpayers value for money.

“Some of the advice we’re getting from NSW says the demand for them isn’t as strong as it once was,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

The car queue for Covid-19 PCR tests at a clinic at North Ryde in December 2021. Picture: AAP

“We’re putting them through some strict scrutiny now … we have to make sure that every dollar the public is spending is getting value.”

Mr Mookhey said he too had driven past a testing site at ­Maroubra in Sydney’s east and “there was no one there”.

The COVID-19 drive-through testing clinic at Willoughby Leisure Centre closed and empty in December 2021. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The empty Covid testing clinics are a far cry from the long lines seen during the first years of the pandemic, which resulted in people waiting for hours to get tested at a time when health protocols required a positive PCR test to confirm whether someone was infected with the virus.

In December 2021 hundreds of cars banked up for kilometres on Sydney roads as people scrambled to get tested.

The move will also free up health staff tasked with manning the drive-through and walk-in clinics.

The most recently-released NSW Health statistics show there were 5180 positive PCR tests reported in the seven days up to April 14, while there was also 4466 positive Rapid Antigen Tests registered and 22 deaths attributed to Covid-19 in that period.

Originally published as Chris Minns urges closure of NSW Covid-19 testing sites