Bendigo Health's drive-through coronavirus testing clinic will temporarily move to the Prince of Wales showgrounds on Monday and Tuesday next week.
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The temporary move has been done to help cope with the anticipated demand for day 11 re-testing by Victorians who have returned from NSW.
People who returned to Victoria ahead of the border closure on New Year's Day have been isolating at home and require a re-test for COVID-19 on day 11 of their self-quarantine.
Bendigo Health's acting chief executive David Rosaia said the set up in the showground's Regional Events Complex will host three lanes of testing and open from 10am on Monday and Tuesday.
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"We understand we will have around 600 to 1000 people present for day 11 testing and felt the showgrounds were more suitable for a drive through facility compared to Stewart Street," he said. "It can cater for greater numbers and decrease wait times for the public.
"Our walk in clinic at Stewart Street will still be available from 10am to 5.30pm and the facility here at showgrounds also be available from 10am to 5.30pm.
"The goal is to reduce the wait. We know from previous feedback over new year's, that people were waiting up to four hours in a car. We want to improve that."
Mr Rosaia said cars will enter the showgrounds through the main entrance and queue from the Regional Events Complex around the facility.
"So the queue around the showgrounds will enter the large (complex) and come through to three lanes," he said. "One lane is for children aged under five and the other two lane for normal traffic.
"If there is a surge (in numbers), we can open a fourth lane."
Mr Rosaia said the showgrounds had been considered as a mass testing site four months ago but that a lack of staffing over the new year's period prevented Bednigo Health from using it as the border to NSW closed.
"It takes a bit of planning and time and the facilities management team has been proactive," he said. "We looked at the site four months ago when screening Don KR and Hazeldenes.
"It was determined to go on site (at Don KR and Hazeldenes) to do testing but we had this on stand by just in case.
"There was (consideration for it in the New Year's period) but when borders (began to close) staffing was our issue. Actually getting staff for New Year's Day and the next day was difficult because people were on leave."
He said the Stewart Street drive-through testing site did increase clinic hours on New Year's Day.
"We were one of one few sites open in Victoria on New Year's Day from 10 to 2.30pm, which we extended to 5.30pm and got additional staff," he said.
"On the Saturday, we extended hours to 8pm at night and had a big team processing and testing people who were waiting. Again, we apologise for the delays but we did the best we could with the facilities and resources we had."
Mr Rosaia said more than 700 coronavirus tests had been done i Bendigo since Monday.
"That is quite high compared to normal, particularly pre-Christmas," he said. "I think those numbers will be maintained but we really wanted to be able to cater for the surge on Monday and Tuesday next week.
"We encourage everyone to get tested, particularly if you are part of the day 11 testing. Bring water, be patient and be kind.
"People tested on day 11 (of their isolation), should have be isolating for 14 days. You should only leave the house to get screened and immediately return to your home environment to wait for your test result.
"People still have to maintain their 14 days of isolation."
