By SAMUEL BARTLETT
COVID-19 testing clinics across the Hunter are being forced to turn motorists away due to the influx of cases in the region.
With 674 new COVID cases in the Hunter New England Health District today, motorists at drive through clinics are waiting hours to receive a swab.
NSW Health have also said they won't be notifying every close contact or even every positive case.
The change means people could be waiting indefinitely for a test result or in the community while infectious without knowing.
Tempers are flaring at packed clinics with drivers being encouraged to look elsewhere to get a test.
Shadow Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley says the Government needs to open the clinics for longer and do whatever necessary to keep the region under control.
She says, "we've discovered that the testing clinics have reduced their hours so far that we're seeing absolute chaos out on the streets,"
"We've got a significant number of cases in the hunter now and as a result a lot of people have been in contact, and they want to be tested," she explains.
"The Government is asking them to get tested however that is near impossible right throughout the Hunter,"
"We've called on the government to be nimble and to provide the resources that we need when appropriate."
