Lack of COVID tests pushes Warrnambool family to the brink

Annmaree Freeman received her positive result on December 30, plunging herself and her whole family - who were close contacts - into home isolation.

Since then she has been searching for rapid antigen tests for her husband, Andrew and children Delilah and Letisha, to try to get them out of isolation as soon as possible.

As frontline workers, neither Ms Freeman nor her husband has been able to work while isolating and neither are eligible for the government's disaster payments.

The enforced isolation has already drained their bank accounts.

"Between our two bank accounts we literally have $7 left," Ms Freeman said.

Ms Freeman and her husband normally each work between 25 and 40 hours a week. Now that they can't work they don't have a safety net to fall back on.

"We've already been borrowing money from friends, who are asking for it back and now our rent is due in two days and we can't pay it," she said.

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The family was told it needed to get a positive result on a rapid antigen test before it could book in for a PCR test.

"Everyone in our workplace has been trying to find tests for us, but none of them had any luck," she said.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, one of Ms Freeman's colleagues managed to find tests for the family.

Ms Freeman's husband and four-year-old daughter both tested positive. They now need to get a PCR test, after which they can start their seven-day isolation period.

South West Healthcare released a statement on Tuesday afternoon saying it would close its Merri Street testing facility and transfer testing services to its pop-up facility at the Deakin University campus from Wednesday morning.

"Andrew is going to be down there at 6am tomorrow to get his test," Ms Freeman said.

Ms Freeman will be able to leave isolation from Thursday but because her husband will still have to isolate she will be the only one able to work and get groceries for the family.

All while she is 31 weeks into a complicated pregnancy.

Dozens of locals have continued to flood social media describing the extreme difficulty they have had finding rapid antigen tests and booking PCR tests.

Rhys Taylor described being turned away from the Merri Street facility because he didn't have an appointment.

"Got in line and was turned away. Even tho I had filled out online. No tests to buy. Just carry on with life," he said.

South West Healthcare said the decision to shift to the Deakin facility was made "to enable greater capacity for symptomatic people and those seeking confirmation of a positive RAT test". No appointments are required.

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