The government said concessional card holders could get free rapid antigen tests from pharmacies from today — but short supplies mean they will be very hard to find.
"We are all trying our level best to try and provide these tests as suitable soon as possible under difficult conditions for supply and staffing," he said.Jocelyn Osborne has a health care card and had hoped she could collect a free rapid antigen test from the pharmacy today. She works in childcare and has been looking for a RAT since January 6.
"I go down to the local chemist every day before work at lunchtime, and after work I usually pop down, and there's always a sign out front that says 'none available'," she said.Ms Osborne has taken a PCR test before, but it took four days to get a result. As a single parent, she said she can't afford to take days off to wait for a result, or to spend money on a large number of tests.
"If at any time I wake up with a sore throat, just to be able to take that test and know that I'm okay to go to work, [it] would be really good to have that security, that you're okay," she said.Mr Morrison said on Friday the Commonwealth was not supplying pharmacies with tests — it was up to them to order the stock.
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