Where Victorian holidaymakers can get Covid tests

Heading away for the summer holidays? Finding a Covid testing site might be harder than getting a park at the beach this summer.

Victorian holiday hot spots could become Covid superspreader hotbeds because of a lack of testing facilities, health experts have warned.

An analysis of Victorian testing facility locations has found a raft of popular summer holiday destinations including Anglesea, Inverloch, and Queenscliff have no available testing sites.

Sites in other towns including Lorne and Apollo Bay are open for less than two hours a day.

The Department of Health has defended the Victoria’s testing site locations, saying many were either in holiday towns or within a short drive.

Burnet Institute epidemiologist Michael Toole said easy access to the sites was essential to stopping the emergence of superspreader events.

“Current test numbers in Victoria are on the low side. The test positivity rate has been stuck at around 1.8 per cent for a very long time,” he said.

“We should aim to get that down close to 1 per cent by testing more people.

“We need to make it convenient for people to get tested (at) more pop-up sites like schools, for example.

“And this must include all the holiday destinations. There will be large gatherings in these places and its essential to identify cases ASAP.”

A raft of popular summer holiday destinations including Anglesea, Inverloch, and Queenscliff have no available testing sites. Picture: Alan Barber

Professor Toole said it was also critical to maintain indoor mask mandates, QR check-in and vaccine mandates while encouraging people to socialise outdoors.

Surf Coast GP Ian Mackay said the lack of testing sites was also wreaking havoc with local businesses and threatened the appropriate management of Covid outbreaks in holiday towns.

Dr Mackay said some businesses were being forced to close for days to give staff time to get tested.

“This is a problem that’s going to be all over the state in the highest throughput tourist areas,” he said.

“It’s going to be horrendous in January.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier has called on the government to urgently boost the number of testing sites in holiday areas.

“Labor’s failure to plan means that instead of a summer to recover, regional communities and visitors face a summer of headaches,” she said.

“Popular regional communities can grow tenfold over the holiday period, yet Daniel Andrews MIA testing centres are either unavailable or only open for a few hours a day.

“We need testing and vaccination centres that can keep up with demand. Daniel Andrews must urgently deliver additional resources to keep communities open and safe.”

The state’s testing sites have reached breaking point in recent weeks, with centres overrun and people turned away in the lead-up to the holiday period.

A lack of testing sites was also wreaking havoc with local businesses. Picture: Jason Edwards

Dire new modelling from the Doherty Institute is now forecasting up to 200,000 new cases a day across Australia by late January without the reintroduction of some restrictions.

A Department of Health spokesperson said there were more than 260 testing sites across the state.

“We’ll be working with local public health services to ensure there is appropriate testing coverage across popular holiday areas, with mobile testing teams also available to provide additional support if required,” they said.

“We’ve increased testing capacity by 55 per cent since October, with more than 260 sites operating across the state, including many either in holiday towns or within a short drive of them.

“There are six testing centres between Torquay and Apollo Bay to service the Surf Coast, including Aireys Inlet Medical Centre which is 10 minutes’ drive away from Anglesea. There are two testing centres 15 minutes away from Inverloch in Wonthaggi.”

The spokesperson said most test results were being returned within 24 hours despite unprecedented demand.