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| Mr. Morrison's government has been heavily criticized for a supply shortage, and many instances of price-gouging have been reported. People queue for Covid tests in Sydney. (Photo by= EPA) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Australians have expressed anger at facing Covid test shortages and price-gouging as the nation battles its most widespread infections yet. BBC said that last month Australia lifted most of its strict domestic restrictions after reaching a 90% vaccination target.
But the Omicron variant increased cases, now totaling over 25,000 a day. That puts intense pressure on testing and hospital systems, causing anxiety around the country. PCR tests have always been widely available in Australia, but last week the government began limiting who’s eligible to receive them for free. It followed tens of thousands of people spending hours queuing outside testing clinics around Christmas. Isolation times blew out and test results were delayed. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new rules aimed to alleviate pressure on the system.
But it has increased reliance on lateral flow tests, known locally as rapid antigen tests (RATs) - which people have to pay for. The government has rejected calls from medical bodies and political opponents to make the tests freely available, as they are in many nations. Mr. Morrison has argued that pharmacies require certainty that there will be a private market for the tests. Critics say the new guidelines further disadvantage those on lower incomes, leaving them more exposed as the virus spreads.
