Australia urged to fund free rapid Covid tests as stores sell out

The federal government should fund free or subsidised rapid antigen tests, business and union groups say, as pre-Christmas Covid testing queues grow and stores sell out of the at-home tests.

Since 1 November, Australians have been able to test themselves at home for Covid. The rapid antigen tests are not as accurate as PCR tests but they deliver results much faster and can screen for infections if used regularly.

But many retailers have sold out of the tests and prices have fluctuated as the number of infections increased and people get tested before travel or Christmas gatherings.

At the same time, global supply chain problems are delaying shipments of rapid tests into Australia, while freight prices and border restrictions are delaying transport around the country.

She said government-funded tests would give businesses protection against infections and therefore snap shutdowns, as well as providing financial support.

The UK and Singapore governments offer free antigen tests, as do some EU governments. In Australia the federal government provides tests to health facilities, while there are different situations in different states and territories (for now, South Australia and Western Australia do not allow the general public to use at-home tests).

Many businesses have been paying for their own surveillance testing.