The drive through testing will be in the same location as previously, right next to the current clinic with entry from Arnott Street. The service will begin from 9am on Wednesday.

Director Clinical Improvement, Risk and Innovation Sally Taylor said the decision was made after concerns were raised about people standing in line on hot days.

"Our testing numbers are definitely climbing. We tested over 1650 people in November and that is the biggest month since the pandemic began," Mrs Taylor said.

"On Monday we tested 100 and the lowest daily tally for the week has been 75 so we are definitely on the increase.

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"If the numbers are high then people are standing longer in the queues and on hot days they simply won't be safe."

Mrs Taylor said it was adding fans to the existing marquee was not an option.

"If we had fans in the marquee we could potentially be blowing the virus onto everyone," she said.

"At least if people are in their cars, they can sit in air-conditioned comfort while they wait in line."

Mrs Taylor said the operation would be a much scaled down version of the previous drive through.

"It will be a smaller marquee with a single line of traffic and we will be testing asymptomatic people and those with COVID symptoms," she said.

"We expect to continue with drive through testing until at least February, 2022."

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