Victoria to provide 34 million free rapid antigen tests

The Andrews government has purchased more than 34 million rapid antigen tests (RATs), which will be distributed to Victorians in January.

Announcing the purchase of the tests, Victorian Health Minister, Martin Foley, took aim at the federal government for failing to subsidise RATs.

“Rapid antigen tests should be free … we will be making them free. Rapid antigen tests should be widely available, and we will be making them widely available,” he said.

“We would much prefer to have a national approach … but failing that, as per usual, the states have had to step up.”

How the free RATs will be distributed is yet to be announced, but Mr Foley says the state government will “make sure that they’re widely and most effectively available for the people who need them most”.

Image: Nine