‘Nonsensical’: Experts call for Covid testing overhaul

Infectious disease experts say Covid testing has got out of hand and fear travellers will catch the virus when lining up for a test.

Experts are shaking their heads at the state of Australia’s Covid testing system, concerned asymptomatic travellers are clogging the system and lining up for tests alongside those that are ill.

Infectious disease specialist Professor Ben Marais, from the University of Sydney, said the huge queues at testing sites were a big concern as they created a transmission risk.

“We know how extremely infectious the Omicron variant is and there would a huge risk having symptomatic and asymptomatic people lining up in the same queue,” he told news.com.au.

Prof Marais described the testing of asymptomatic travellers as “nonsensical” and said it should be scrapped immediately.

“I’m not sure what the intent is,” he said, explaining that there was a risk of people already in Queensland spreading the virus.

“It’s like NSW introducing international travel bans again, it doesn’t make sense when we’ve got so much virus locally. It’s a waste of time to limit people’s entry.”

Until January 1, visitors to Queensland from hotspot areas – including NSW, Victoria, the ACT and South Australia – need to return a negative PCR test result in the 72 hours before they cross the border.

After that date, a negative rapid antigen test will be required. However, travellers getting their hands on those tests may prove tricky with the nation’s pharmacy boss warning of shortages for weeks.

Experts are concerned about travellers getting infected while lining up for a Covid test. Picture: Richard Walker

Huge demand for tests also mean it’s longer before Covid patients can be identified and dealt with. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Prof Marais was not only concerned about the transmission risk but the waste of money.

“It’s around $80-90 a (PCR) test,” he said.

“We have to truly critically think what the added value is. No one is talking about the cost on the taxpayer and health services in general, and whether that money can be better spent.

“We should have had third dose vaccines rolled out in all our aged care facilities as a priority, it’s a far bigger priority than testing people to cross borders.”

Infectious diseases physician Professor Peter Collignon, from Australian National University, said unless asymptomatic people were close contacts of a case, they shouldn’t be PCR tested, as it was actually affecting our ability to find positive cases and deal with them efficiently.

“We need people with symptoms tested promptly and not waiting four or five hours in a queue with a whole lot of other people that probably shouldn’t be there,” he said.

“We need to find symptomatic or high risk people and get them promptly tested because that decreases the risk to others.”

Professor of infectious diseases Peter Collignon AM.

Epidemiologist professor Tony Blakely.

Epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely, from the University of Melbourne, also wants to see an overhaul how we do testing “because we’re in a different phase with more infection”.

Along with the other experts, he wants states to stop using resources to PCR test travellers as they may get infected in the queue.

In addition, Prof Blakely suggests a triage system at testing sites using government stocks of rapid antigen tests strategically to lighten the load.

“For those that have just got very mild symptoms or are a casual contact, just rapid antigen test them there and then,” he said, suggesting PCR tests should be for those that really need them – symptomatic people and close contacts.

“Those sort of things reduce the demand on the testing so we can get the best bang for buck, which means getting people through the queue fast and safely, and getting the results back to people fast within 24 hours so it’s more effective at dampening transmission,” he said.

Ill Queenslander sent to line up at testing site

Gold Coast woman Natalie Rittson, who was ill and returned a positive rapid antigen test, was told she had to get herself to a testing centre for a PCR test, The Courier Mail reports.

“You would think they wouldn’t want someone with those kind of symptoms at a testing centre or a hospital. It doesn’t make sense,” her sister Sam said.

“Even when the rapid test showed that she was Covid positive, it was still the same message — get out of bed and line up.”

Natalie Rittson was ill and still told to line up at a testing site.

Queues for Covid testing in Queensland are hours long. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms Rittson had vomiting and diarrhoea, migraine, sore throat and soaring temperatures.

In response to the situation, Queensland Health said the only way to know if you have Covid is to get tested.

“But if anyone is experiencing serious illness, we urge them to contact triple-0, regardless of whether they suspect they have Covid-19 or not,” a spokeswoman said.

“That way they can be assessed and, if required, taken to hospital. It’s important they receive appropriate care at the first instance.”

The department did not say whether it had concerns about Covid spreading at testing sites due to huge queues of people, when asked by news.com.au.

Ms Rittson’s family told The Courier Mail they were so worried they did call an ambulance.

Natalie said the paramedics looked after her well but said that they could not test her. She said she could go to the hospital and be treated for her symptoms but not for Covid.