UPDATE 2pm: Check the ACT Health website for hourly updates on wait times.

• Mitchell drive through testing clinic (open 8am to 10pm): 1 hour+
• Garran testing clinic (open 7.30am to 9pm): 10 minutes+
• Kambah drive through testing clinic (open 8am to 4pm): 2 hours 45 minutes+
• Nicholls testing clinic (open 8am to 3.50pm): 2 hours+

Before: COVID testing sites in Canberra continue to face large queues as more ACT exposure sites are announced and Canberrans prepare for the holidays.

As of 9.15am Thursday 23 December, all four testing facilities (Mitchell, Kambah, Garran and Nicholls) are already at capacity.

ACT Health are asking people not to line up on the roads and to come back later in the day once the lines have eased.

They advise that the shortest wait times are generally during the day with the longest delays experienced in the morning, late afternoon and evening.

With the temperature predicted to hit 28 degrees in Canberra today, people are encouraged to be sun safe when lining up. Bring plenty of water, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and maybe a snack as well.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said there is a limit to how many workers they can put on around Christmas.

“We’ve clearly seen very very high demand and that is very frustrating for people, unfortunately there’s not a lot more we can do about it,” she said.

“Both in terms of our own staffing from Canberra Health Services and Capital Pathology, there is just a limit to how many more staff we can put on at this very busy time of year.”

The news comes a day after the ACT hit a new daily record of 58 COVID-19 cases.

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