Ipswich store sells rapid tests for $60 each as cases continue to soar and testing clinics remain closed

As many testing sites remained closed across the region, residents were shocked at the price one convenience store was selling a single rapid test. See where you can get tested in Ipswich today.

An Ipswich convenience store has been seen charging $60 for one rapid antigen test as several Covid-19 testing sites remained closed across the region.

Ipswich Covid-19 cases are continuing to rise, with the region recording 268 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the region’s total number of cases to 3610.

Two cases were acquired interstate, 32 were acquired overseas and 76 cases were acquired locally from known contacts.

Thirty-three cases were acquired locally from unknown sources.

The origin of the majority of the region’s cases remains unknown with health authorities investigating 3467 cases.

Several Covid-19 testing sites across Ipswich have remain closed, despite some previously announcing they would resume testing on Monday.

Former Ipswich councillor David Martin shared a post on Facebook stating which testing clinics were closed, which included 4Cyte Pathology and the Sullivan Nicolaides pop up testing centre at the Ipswich Showgrounds.

The Ipswich Hospital Fever Clinic was closed to walk ins before 11am on Monday.

The QML testing site at the Ipswich Hockey Association carpark in Raceview remained open to walk ins on Monday afternoon.

It comes as one Ipswich convenience store was seen selling individual rapid antigen tests for $60 on the weekend.

One customer, who wished to remain anonymous, said she saw the single tests being sold in Ziploc bags, having been removed from their original packaging.

An Ipswich convenience store has reportedly been selling individual rapid antigen tests in Ziploc bags for $60. Pictures: Supplied

The woman said she was at the store, which the Queensland Times has chosen not to name, on Sunday about 10.30am.

“I didn’t physically see him open the box and put them in the bags but he did say that had made the Ziploc bags up himself,” she said.

“He didn’t mention why he was doing it.

“The test he showed me did not seem to have instructions in them.

“He did not let me get close enough to the bag to inspect.”

The woman said she saw “quite a few” people lining up to purchase the tests but was unsure how many people actually did.

Another customer who visited the store on Friday, Cassandra Hunt, said she couldn’t understand the high price tag.

She said a staff member told her an individual test would cost $60 and explained the inflated price was due to “really high” demand.

With single tests at other locations selling for about $12-15.95 each, Ms Hunt said she could not understand why they would cost so much at this particular site.

“They’re taking advantage of people in need,” she said.

A staff member from the store told The Queensland Times the store’s owner had made a “big sacrifice” to get the tests in stock and had been subjected to abuse, some of which was “racist”, both online and in store.

The staff member said the owner was making $8 per test and was “devastated” by the reactions.

The Queensland Times has reached out to the store for further comments on Monday.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission last week released a statement addressing concerns of suppliers price gouging rapid antigen tests.

“The ACCC is aware of the significant public concern about the pricing of rapid antigen tests and is contacting suppliers and monitoring the situation very closely,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

“We are seeking information from suppliers about their costs and the current pricing of rapid antigen tests. We are also asking them about their current stock levels, and the amounts on order, and about their expectations about when additional tests may become readily available to consumers.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week the Commonwealth would “prohibit price gouging of and the non-commercial export of RATs” as it did earlier in the pandemic for masks, other PPE, and hand sanitiser.

Queensland recorded a total of 9581 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the state’s total active cases to 81,581.

More than 3000 of the recorded cases came from people reporting positive rapid test results.

There are currently 440 people in hospital and 21 people in the ICU.