ABC News, 21 December 2021:
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard concedes the state's COVID-19 testing system is under "massive pressure" as clinics turn people away and wait times blow out.
Before the arrival of Omicron variant in late November, when NSW's daily case numbers hovered at the 250 mark, testing rates sat at about 60,000 per day.
Since Friday night, more than 426,000 people have braved queues to be tested across the state, with more than 8,000 new positive cases recorded in the past three days.
Mr Hazzard said testing sites, as well as the public and private laboratories that analysed the swabs, were under pressure.
"Obviously they're trying to access the various products that are required to do the testing, but that's not the sole issue," he said.
"The issue is also that the staffing from not only doing the actual pathology testing, but also the administration — making sure people are advised of their results — is currently under massive pressure."…..
For the sites that are open, queues have stretched around the block, forcing people to line up for hours at some clinics.
Wait times for results have blown out to 72 hours in some cases.
NSW Labor Health Spokesman Ryan Park said the state government needed to "fulfil their end of the bargain" after the Premier asked people to take personal responsibility and get tested in light of the spike in cases.
He said more clinics, staff and equipment were needed to meet the surging demand and to cut wait times.
"It simply doesn't make sense," he said.
"They (the government) need to listen to the message that's coming from the community."
The demand for testing in the lead-up to Christmas has also seen pharmacies run out of rapid antigen test kits.
Health officials convened for several hours on Tuesday morning to consider the stresses faced by the testing system…..
Read the full article here.
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