The ACT government has extended the supply of rapid antigen tests to Canberra schools for an additional four weeks.
Education Minister Yvette Berry announced the extension of the program on Wednesday, saying rapid antigen tests (RATs) would be supplied to all students and staff until the end of week eight of term one.
"79 per cent of parents are using the RATs at least once or twice a week and around 71 per cent of them want the program to continue," she said.
"So the ACT government is very confident that we can get the RATs that we need to continue the program for the additional four weeks."
While the tests will remain voluntary, two tests will continue to be allocated per person per week.
"It is voluntary, but we continue to ask parents to do the tests on young people to make sure that we can minimise the spread in our schools," Ms Berry said.
"The suggestion that's coming across from parents is [testing on] a Sunday night and a Thursday night.
Ms Berry said distribution of the RATs would be dependent on when the government received their supply.
'There's no doubt the workload has increased'
The ACT government's announcement came after COVID-19 cases in Canberra schools more than doubled in the second week of term one.
Catholic and public schools recorded 395 cases in staff and students during the first week of the school year.
In week two, that number jumped to 909 cases across the territory's 119 public and non-government schools.
But co-president of the ACT Principals Association, Andy Mison, said schools were managing well despite these figures.
"There's no doubt the workload has increased," he told ABC Radio Canberra.
"We're implementing a range of logistic measures, such as RAT distributions and other COVID-safe measures on top of usual business, without some of the benefits you get of being able to have parents come in and assist."
About 100, 000 RATs have been distributed to ACT students and staff so far.
Mr Mison said he hoped the supply of tests would continue until the very end of term one.
"To be honest with you, I think if that helps our community be confident about coming to school, and is a measure that helps keep us all safe, then I would absolutely be supportive of it continuing," he said.
Hospital visitor restrictions ease
From Wednesday, restrictions in Canberra's hospitals have eased to allow two visitors per patient per day — but only one visitor will be allowed at a time.
Women giving birth will be allowed two support people, but only one person can attend the operating theatre for caesareans.
For children and young people, two parents or carers can attend together, but only one can stay overnight.
Ms Stephen-Smith said people wanting to visit high-risk settings would still need to apply for an exemption.
"We know that visitor restrictions are really tough, the Canberra Hospital and Calvary have been, over the last couple of weeks, trying to grant as many exemptions that they can and really not denying exemptions other than in exceptional circumstances," she said.
The ACT's latest COVID-19 figures show 48 people in hospital with the virus in Canberra. Three of those patients are in the intensive care unit, with two requiring ventilation.
In the 24 hours to 8pm Tuesday, the ACT recorded 594 new COVID-19 cases — 329 from PCR tests and 265 from rapid antigen tests.
More than 62 per cent of Canberrans aged 16 and older have now received their booster vaccination, and 76.6 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
