Now, the ACT government is trying to give rapid antigen tests away before they expire in February and the free RAT program comes to an end this month.

But the change comes as COVID cases are once again rising in some parts of the country, reportedly driven by two new variants.

In the ACT, Population Health Minister Emma Davidson said cases have been decreasing since peaking mid-November. The ACT recorded 139 cases from January 12 to 18, with three deaths and 23 people in hospital.

But she encouraged locals to be "COVID smart", stay up to date with vaccinations and grab a free RAT before they become unwell and the free RAT program comes to a finish.

While official case numbers are much lower compared with the hundreds recorded weekly throughout November and December, they only include results from PCR tests.

The ACT government announced changes to the way it would collect and present COVID data last year, first making reporting positive RAT results voluntary before scrapping the request altogether in December.

The move has been backed by a prominent infectious diseases physician, who said this brings the ACT in line with most of the country.

Infectious diseases physician and Australian National University Medical School professor Peter Collignon said the changes brought in by the government were sensible.

The value of RATs were now "pretty marginal".

He said for those under 70 and without an underlying condition, whether they had COVID or another infection "shouldn't make any difference to what you should do to look after yourself".

"In other words, don't give your infection to others," he said.

He said those who were more vulnerable "were better off having a PCR test ... because it'll be more accurate".