CHEMISTS from Cessnock to Nelson Bay are struggling to meet self-test kit demand with some pharmacists selling "about 100 boxes per hour" as COVID cases surge.
"Hot cakes are jealous of how fast these things are selling," owner and pharmacist at Blooms the Chemist Mayfield, Matthew Dan said.
Blooms is one of the few pharmacies in the Hunter that still have Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) on their shelves, selling the tests in boxes of 5 for around $60.
"We have about 1000 boxes in stock at the moment because head office made a bulk order but we don't think they will last long."
The figure of 1000 boxes was taken at 11am Wednesday, with the store selling a further 250 boxes - 1,1250 tests - by 5pm that day.
A staff member from Darby Street Pharmacy said their store got an order of 600 boxes in last Wednesday which were "all but gone" by Thursday morning.
"They are as rare as hens teeth at the moment. I didn't even bother to unpack them out of the big box they arrived in," they said.
"We are lucky because ours are made in Sydney so they come directly from the supplier. Hopefully we get fresh stock in this week which will most likely be Thursday or Friday."
Tim Murray, the pharmacist at Cessnock Plaza Pharmacy, isn't as fortunate. Having sold out on Tuesday, he has "no idea" when the store will get more tests in.
"Our wholesalers are saying they don't have any in stock so we have no way of telling we we will get more in," Mr Murray said.
Port Stephens pharmacists are feeling the pinch too, with the a lack of supply exacerbated by holiday numbers.
"We sold out before Christmas and still have no date expected to be restocked," said Michael Redpath, the pharmacist and co-owner at Nelson Bay Discount Drug Store.
"I got pretty excited when you rang because it was something different. Every other phone call has been chasing tests."
Mr Redpath said a combination of growing case numbers and holiday travel saw demand for the tests "grow exponentially".
"We know Terry White and Woolworths are also sold out. People who are coming into the store say Salamander Bay stores are out too."
Hunter New England Health public health controller Dr David Durrheim said demand for rapid antigen tests has escalated as "people see how valuable they potentially are".
"The private sector's generally pretty good at matching demand, so I think we'll see a massive growth in the available of rapid antigen tests," Dr Durrheim said.
"It can be frustrating, and I think the rapid changes we've seen throughout this pandemic has called on all of us to be incredibly patient."
Dr Durrheim added people shoudl ensure the tests they use are approves by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
