Those with COVID-19 symptoms or who are close contacts for a COVID-19 positive person are given top priority in the state-run testing site on Creswick Road in a bid to ease congestion for the highest priority cases.

Lines for the BHS drive-through testing clinic were already passing 2.5 hours on Monday morning, the designated Christmas Day public holiday, and have little sign of easing with another public holiday on Tuesday.

TODAY, MONDAY: the BHS clinic on Creswick Road is open from 9am to 6pm.

UFS' COVID-19 testing clinic is at capacity under limited hours until Wednesday.

An unexpected closure to 4Cyte Pathology's drive-through site in Redan has also added to testing pressure. The site had flagged opening hours for Sunday and the Christmas public holidays, Monday and Tuesday.

This has since been amended online to closures for Monday and Tuesday. The Courier has been unable to contact 4Cyte for further details.

One reader told The Courier she had been queued at the Redan testing clinic for two hours' Sunday morning only for the testing site to not open as stated at 8am.

There has been little reprieve for the BHS team across Christmas, which has also been working to process screenings for interstate travel requirements.

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BHS welcomed news pre-travel testing was no longer required for entering South Australia from Monday. COVID-19 testing for travel to Queensland remains in place although Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has signalled a possible move to rapid antigen testing from January 1.

BHS is encouraging anyone who has been notified as having been to a COVID-19 exposure site to stay home and isolate if they do not have symptoms until testing capacity increases.

A BHS spokesperson said this direction does differ to messaging in text message notifications from Victoria's health department but that BHS had been ordered to advise otherwise until testing can step up again.

"[High testing demand] has been the case all weekend, and at a time when people would like to take a break and see loved ones, this is understandably leading to frustration and isolation," a BHS spokesperson said.

"This is a state-wide issue. Testing requirements for interstate travel added demand to our already stretched services. Staff who work in these facilities are under pressure - and across the state there are staff shortages at testing clinics."

BHS extended its testing hours for its Creswick Road clinic by three hours and tested 859 people - well in excess of the average 550 tests per day at the site.

TODAY, MONDAY: the BHS clinic on Creswick Road is open from 9am to 6pm.

Testing for travel will also be available, but longer wait times should be anticipated.

BHS has the following important messages for the Ballarat community:

Victoria's COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar is encouraging people to look for other COVID-19 testing sites across the state with lesser wait times.

Close to Ballarat, testing at Beaufort and Skipton Health Services sites in each town are limited and by appointment today. Daylesford's walk-through testing site is also by appointment with Central Highlands Rural Health Service.

Drive-through testing is also available at the Melton Football Club's home base on Coburn's Road until 7pm. There is at least an hour's wait.

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