Health authorities expand Australia’s restrictive coronavirus testing criteria

Patients queue outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital for coronavirus testing. Photo: Twitter

As the coronavirus infects more and more Australians, the rules determining who is eligible to get tested for the disease are broadening.

Initially, only people who had returned from overseas in the last 14 days or had been in contact with a confirmed case could get tested if they were showing flu-like symptoms.

This is because the world is grappling with a short supply of tests, prompting authorities to place strict guidelines on who should be checked for the virus

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But now, as an increasing number of reports emerge of suspected community transmissions, testing criteria will move away from only those who have recently travelled.

If you think you have the coronavirus, you can now quality for a COVID-19 test if you meet the new criteria for a “suspect case”.