What do rapid antigen tests cost and where can you get them?

Australia’s consumer watchdog has said it will “name and shame” suppliers and retailers “doing the wrong thing” as concern grows over the availability and cost of rapid antigen tests being used to help detect COVID-19.

In the early stages of the pandemic, Australians were advised to undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests if they were showing symptoms of COVID-19, or had been exposed to a potential contact with the virus. As infections become more widespread in Australia, and the lines at testing clinics grow longer, demand for rapid antigen tests (RATs) – which can be taken at home – has increased significantly. There are concerns over the prices being charged to consumers as a result.

In a statement, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it is “aware of the significant public concern about the pricing of rapid antigen tests and is contacting suppliers and monitoring the situation very closely”.

Excessive pricing of essential goods or services may be “unconscionable” in certain circumstances, according to the ACCC.

“We are seeking information from suppliers about their costs and the current pricing of rapid antigen tests. We are also asking them about their current stock levels, and the amounts on order, and about their expectations about when additional tests may become readily available to consumers,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

Canstar explains what rapid antigen tests are, how they work, where they’re sold and how much they cost.

What is a rapid antigen test?

A rapid antigen test is a test that you can purchase over the counter and conduct yourself in order to check for COVID-19. When you undergo a PCR test, the results are sent away to a lab for analysis, and your result can take hours if not days to come back. By contrast, most rapid antigen tests will provide you with a result within 15-20 minutes, and can be done in your own time, at your home or elsewhere.

According to Coronavirus Victoria, rapid antigen tests will require you to collect a sample by swabbing the inside of your nostrils or mouth, depending on the particular test kit. Typically, you will then be required to place the sample in a chemical solution, and squeeze several droplets of the solution onto the testing device, which will display your result after the specified period of time. Test kits are typically sold in multipacks but are sometimes sold individually.

Where can you buy rapid antigen tests?

Rapid antigen test kits are available for purchase around Australia at participating pharmacies, supermarkets and other retail locations such as service stations. In recent weeks, there has been a shortage of the testing kits on shelves, with shops frequently selling out. In response to this, some Australians have taken to using ‘test kit locator’ websites, which crowdsource information about locations where the kits are currently available and in stock.

Chemist Warehouse chief operating officer Mario Tascone acknowledged the shortage in an interview this week on Sunrise. He cited factors including public holidays, customs delays and high demand for test kits as reasons for the current supply shortage, but told the program that he expects this situation to turn around soon. “I think by week’s end and early next week we’ll have lots of good supplies,” he said.

How much do rapid antigen tests cost?

Prices for rapid antigen tests vary according to individual retailers, but the Victorian Government says that the standard cost for a test kit in Australia is between $10 and $15.

At the time of writing, the Chemist Warehouse website list a two-pack of the tests for $24.00 and a five-back for $49.99, although shoppers are advised that they are not currently available online, and to visit their local store in order to check availability. Blooms The Chemist lists a two-pack on sale for $25.99 and a five-pack for $59.99, though both are currently listed as out of stock.

There have been concerns of ‘price gouging’ in recent weeks, with anecdotal reports of some retailers raising the cost of testing kits significantly thanks to their limited availability and the current high level of demand. Reports put the price of a single test as high as $30 at some retail outlets.

NSW Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said she “condemned” any retailer intentionally price gouging the test kits.

Are rapid antigen tests accurate?

While rapid antigen tests can get you your result much more quickly than PCR rests, they are less accurate. Australia Medical Association (AMA) vice president Chris Moy recently told ABC News that one particular drawback of rapid antigen tests is that they have a much higher false negative rate than PCR tests, meaning that you may get a negative test result from one if you actually have COVID-19.

The Victorian Government says that if you get a positive result from a rapid antigen test, it is likely that you have COVID-19, but only a standard PCR test will confirm your result. Likewise, if you get a negative result, it is possible that you could still have the virus, so if you are concerned, you can use rapid antigen tests over multiple days in order to improve the accuracy of the tests.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has a list of rapid antigen test kits that are currently approved for use in Australia. In order to be approved for use, a test needs to have an accuracy rate of at least 80% for specimens collected within seven days of symptom onset.

Can you get rapid antigen tests for free?

Rapid antigen tests are not currently available for free in Australia. Earlier this week, the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said: “We’ve invested hundreds of billions of dollars getting Australia through this crisis. We’re now at a stage of the pandemic where you can’t just make everything free, because when someone tells you they want to make something free, someone’s always going to pay for it and it will be you.”

He said that this decision was made partly so as not to “undercut” private retailers and businesses who sell the testing kits. “By making that policy very, very clear, then that means the private market, whether it’s in the big warehouse pharmacies or the other pharmacies or the supermarkets, they can now go and stock their shelves with confidence that they won’t be undercut by the government,” he said.

However, as the situation continues to develop, there may be limited circumstances in which rapid antigen tests could be available for free. Some states, including New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, are purchasing rapid antigen tests to hand out for free, such as to people who have been deemed ‘close contacts’ of COVID-19 cases. The Prime Minister has indicated that the federal government will fund half the costs of these tests. There are also plans underway to arrange concessions for pensioners to purchase testing kits.

Cover image source: Cryptographer/Shutterstock.com