Canberra health authorities have expressed concern about declining levels of coronavirus testing rates, as COVID-19 restrictions are set to ease further from Friday.
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ACT chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said she was worried about the daily testing rate dropping to as low as 400 per day.
Recent figures have been a far cry from the almost 1700 coronavirus tests conducted on a single day on September 1.
Testing rates since early July, when the last known case of coronavirus was recorded in the ACT, have regularly been more than 700 tests, with multiple days in excess of 1000 daily tests.
While health authorities have said 400 cases in September is a low figure, 400 daily tests were considered a high figure in the early stages of the pandemic.
However, initial testing in the ACT was limited to those who had returned from overseas or those who had been in contact with a known coronavirus case.
Testing criteria was then expanded further.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 88,000 negative testes have been recorded in the ACT, with the last positive test registered 10 weeks ago.
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Dr Coleman said ACT health officials wanted to see the daily testing rate increase to between 600 and 800, in order to have a greater understanding of whether there were traces of coronavirus still in the community.
"I suspect there's been a degree of fatigue and complacency, and there may be some confusion and complacency about testing due to hay fever," Dr Coleman said.
"We remind people that testing is important and a central component, so continue to get tested."
The comments were made as restrictions on the number of people allowed in smaller venues are set to ease.
From 9am on Friday, smaller venues can have a maximum of 25 people in an indoor space, excluding staff.
Venues who want more than 25 patrons inside at one time would still be bound by the one person per four square metre rule.
Despite the slight easing of some restrictions, the ACT will still remain on level 3.1 of coronavirus restrictions for the foreseeable future.
"While some consider these changes to be small, it's hoped it will make a big difference to smaller venues in the ACT and help the progression to a COVID-safe business-as-usual model," Dr Coleman said.
"I recognise this means that some customers and businesses may not be able to maintain the social distancing of 1.5 metres between individuals.
"In this instance you should strive to separate groups that don't know each other as far apart as practicable."
Dr Coleman said a major factor in allowing the changes to go ahead was the launch of the Check In CBR app, which stores the details of customers of places like restaurants and cafes for 28 days to help with contact tracing, should a positive case emerge.
The chief health officer said the coronavirus situation in Victoria and NSW, where there was still community transmission of the virus, was being closely monitored.
With the school holidays approaching, Dr Coleman said the travel advice to Canberrans urging them not to travel to greater Sydney for non-essential purposes, was being reviewed this week.
Updated travel advice is expected to be announced in coming days before the start of the school holidays.