Panicked public wipes pharmacies clear of Covid rapid tests

The last minute present dash has been replaced with a panicked scramble to get Covid tested - and it’s pushing pharmacies and testing clinics to the brink.

Forget a scramble for last-minute presents – Sydneysiders are rushing to save their Christmas by stockpiling rapid Covid tests and spending hours in testing queues.

Pharmacies reported fielding hundreds of phone calls a day from anxious locals wanting rapid tests before Christmas.

Artarmon pharmacist Nick Logan said it was “respectful” of people to get tested before seeing family for Christmas, but it meant “the pressure (on staff) is enormous”.

“If I could get a thousand tests today, I would easily sell them before the end of the week. We are getting a phone call at least every three minutes about rapid antigen tests while we also do Covid boosters,” he said.

“We stopped taking orders and putting them aside for people because the anger you‘re met with when they don’t show up is profound. We all have pandemic stress.”

Ella Kemp (L) and Elizabeth Jones both hope to go to Queensland for Christmas. Picture: Julian Andrews

His pharmacy, like many others across the city, ran out of rapid tests on Friday.

Mr Logan said anxious locals, who were waiting for hours in testing queues and days for their results, had turned to rapid tests for comfort before seeing elderly relatives.

“It would be good if they had some 24/7 PCR test facilities. The queues are very long.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet said he “completely accepts” people’s concerns, but it was the government’s job to lead the community.

“I appreciate as premier there is concern in the community. But now is our time to stand up, stand tall, and take care of each other,” he said.

“The testing rates are phenomenal.”

He shot down a 15 percent spike in hospitalisations as a reason to heed calls for tighter restrictions.

“We look at the data every day. We consider the position every day. But if not now, then when (do we open)?”

Despite being days out from Christmas, testing figures have remained high with more than 144,000 tests reported on Monday.

But the surge in those seeking a result has pushed NSW Pathology to warn that results may take up to 72 hours “due to the current outbreak and increased testing numbers”.

The delays have spelt chaos for travellers with multiple domestic visitors telling the Daily Telegraph of their last-minute wait for test results.

Tegan Hamblin is travelling from Wagga Wagga to Queensland with her three children to see her sister and nephews for Christmas.

People lining up to get a Covid-19 test at the Burwood Covid testing clinic. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

She said getting results and completing the required paperwork was “extremely stressful”.

“I didn‘t get my results till 10 this morning and was already driving to the airport so I had to call my friend to declare my results whilst in the car,” she said.

Brisbane family Georgia and Henry Miles and their five-month-old son Hunter found it “confusing” to come to Sydney to see family.

“We had to isolate with (our) family until our results came back so we could even get home, and once we get home we have to get tested again,” she said.