ACT health authorities have warned Canberrans not to use government COVID-19 clinics if they require a negative test to travel interstate.

With Queensland set to reopen its borders from next month once the state hits 70 per cent fully vaccinated, travellers from Canberra will need a negative COVID test 72 hours before they arrive.

However, ACT Health said its large testing clinics were only for monitoring and managing COVID cases in Canberra and not for travel prerequisites. 

“People should not attend an ACT government-run testing clinic unless they have symptoms of COVID, are a close or casual contact or a public health authority has asked them to be tested,” an ACT Health spokesman told AAP.

“If people require a COVID-19 test prior to interstate travel, they should visit their GP and get a referral to a private pathology clinic.”

Queensland is the only state or territory where a negative COVID test will be required to enter.

Quarantine-free travel is expected to be in place in most states except Western Australia by Christmas, with jurisdictions requiring travellers to be fully vaccinated to enter.

ACT Health said there were no plans to scale back testing sites.

Health authorities in the capital are expected on Wednesday to provide a detailed epidemiological update for the COVID outbreak.

The update was originally slated to be handed down on Tuesday but was pushed back.

The ACT is inching closer to 90 per cent of its over 12s being fully vaccinated, with the double dose rate standing at 89.3 per cent.

There were 12 new cases reported in the capital on Tuesday, with an increase in testing numbers.

The number of COVID patients in hospital has fallen to 15, with nine of those in intensive care and nine on a ventilator.

AAP

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