Wait for Geelong virus test results

GEELONG residents being tested for coronavirus are waiting up to 72 hours for results, amid warnings rapid testing capability is “critical” for the city.

Barwon Health director of infectious diseases Professor Eugene Athan said both GPs and Barwon Health undertook screening and testing for COVID-19.

“All non-urgent tests for people who are well are sent to Melbourne and the turnaround time is up to 72 hours,” Prof Athan.

“Barwon Health has capacity to undertake some urgent testing for high-priority patients who are unwell and results for these patients are returned within 24 hours.

“This testing is undertaken at University Hospital Geelong.”

Prof Athan said rapid test kits needed to go through a process with the Therapeutic Goods Administration to determine their efficacy.

Current testing involves swabs that are analysed, but some rapid test kits which use blood samples have been granted approval.

Medical Scientists Association of Victoria secretary Paul Elliott said the real concern was how Geelong was going to cope if there was a surge in testing required.

“It’s critical that Geelong does rapid testing,” Mr Elliott said. The sooner diagnoses were made the better for many reasons, including managing the virus in the community and patient care, he said.

A spokesman for the federal Department of Health said the Federal Government was procuring 1.5 million serology rapid tests, that looked for antibodies in blood.

“While these tests can provide an indication of exposure to SARS CoV-2, the antibodies may take between five to seven days to develop,” the spokesman said.

“False negative results can be obtained if testing is performed prior to development of antibodies to the virus.

“Australia requires testing for serious infectious diseases to be conducted in conjunction with specified healthcare professionals who can provide appropriate advice and treatment if required.”

The Doherty Institute, in Melbourne, has been engaged to assist with the post-market assessment of new coronavirus rapid screening tests to inform their best use, the spokesman said.

Rapid serology testing kits, which can return results in between 15 and 30 minutes, from multiple manufacturers have been approved on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. The department did not say when tests were expected to be in use.

Self-testing kits are banned.