A shortage of rapid antigen tests has hit the Hunter amid a double wave of COVID, reviving memories of an earlier stage of the pandemic.
Chelsea Felkai, co-owner of My Village Pharmacy Whitebridge, said the RAT shortage had been coming since Christmas.
"We expected there to be an increase in people wanting RATs due to people getting together for the festive season," Mrs Felkai said.
"But it was around the same time supply from wholesalers became rocky.
"It started with only being able to get the tests in certain pack sizes and brands. And most had expiry dates for the end of January 2024."
She said regular wholesalers were now out of stock because "there has been a surge of COVID outbreaks since Christmas".
"The demand for COVID tests is still high," she said.
"We have been able to source some from suppliers we don't regularly use, but they often cost us a lot more.
"So we have to sell them at higher prices than we would for our regular stock."
Pharmacist John Jones, of Darby Street Pharmacy, also confirmed the RAT shortage.
"Our main wholesalers and suppliers have been out of stock," Mr Jones said.
"There was an oversupply, then everyone stopped producing them. Now we have an undersupply.
"There are some independent suppliers that have been able to supply pharmacies."
He said regular wholesalers had run out of "the straight COVID tests", but had combination tests for COVID, flu and RSV.
However, the combination tests were more expensive.
Mr Jones said the COVID tests were "due to be back in stock" around January 30.
A RAT supply shortage also occurred in December and January of 2021/22, as the first Omicron wave spread.
During that time, people waited in massive lines of vehicles to get PCR tests.
PCR test sites closed last year as the pandemic transitioned away from emergency status, although one remained at Wallsend.
PCR tests are now available through a GP. The tests are free through Medicare, although GP fees may apply.
Since October last year, positive RAT results could no longer be registered in NSW.
The federal government ended concessions for RATs in June 2022.
