The Omicron outbreak has reached aged care facilities across the ACT as providers move to a system of compulsory rapid antigen testing for staff and visitors in a bid to improve residents' safety.
Multiple residents and staff members at Goodwin Retirement Living centres across Canberra have contracted COVID-19.
In a letter to residents, executive manager Erik Boddeus said a number of staff and contracted employees had tested positive at Goodwin House and Goodwin Living in Ainslie, David Harper House and Ralph Cartwright Centre in Monash.
Rapid antigen tests are becoming crucial for aged care providers, with general manager of BaptistCare Allan Waters saying all staff and visitors are now required to take a test before entering any facilities.
"We are completing rapid antigen tests on all staff before they start their shift, in addition to the entry screening and automated body temperature readings. Staff returning a positive RAT result are sent for PCR testing, and are not permitted to work until clear," Mr Waters said.
"Our staff are working incredibly hard, with some working right through their planned Christmas break and into the new year as we experience staffing shortages. They've been incredible, but they're tired, and there's no real end in sight here."
Mr Waters said they do not receive any special funding for rapid antigen tests from the government and that BaptistCare have purchased around 180,000 test kits at market prices.
Public demand for the tests also remains high, with stockists struggling to keep up with demand. Matt Hayward, the chief technical officer of Pipelaps, developed a new website, findarat.com, to collate where the tests were available.
"My partner was looking for a test a couple of days ago and people kept posting on Facebook groups asking where they were available so she suggested I build a website. I thought to put my tech skill to good use over the holidays so I built up a platform," Mr Hayward said.
"There are two features to the website, you can view a list of reports on a map based on your area and availability and then you can also add a report saying you've been to a location that has stock or not and they stay up for about 24 hours."
"There are 47 reports in the ACT at the moment and over 500,000 people have looked at the site since I launched at 4pm this Monday, so it's definitely been crazy for me."
Major suppliers such as supermarket giant Woolworths have tried to keep up with demand. A spokesperson for the supermarket said, "We've been sending tens of thousands of rapid antigen testing kits to our stores each day, but they're selling through very quickly."
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith criticised the federal government for failing to adequately fund a rapid antigen testing program.
"It's really disappointing actually, and I know my colleagues in other jurisdictions have pointed out that free rapid antigen tests have to be part of this response," she told ABC radio.
"They are going to need to do more. Everyone I think expected the Commonwealth would take on this responsibility because they are the ones with the biggest purchasing power."
Canberra Business Council chief executive Graham Catt said it was just about impossible to get rapid tests, which was having an impact on consumer confidence.
"I think that free rapid antigen testing is absolutely critical. From a small business perspective you need to keep staff and customers safe and most can't get a PCR test so rapid antigen is the only answer and it will translate into more confidence," Mr Catt said.
"The alternative is small businesses carry the cost and for many they are just coming out of a really bad economic year so having an additional cost would be really difficult to manage."
The peak body representing employee pharmacists, Professional Pharmacists Australia, also called for for free tests. Chief executive Jill McCabe said the federal government should act urgently to provide tests for free.
