Free testing for COVID-19 will still be on offer at the Albury Showgrounds, in a new drive-through format operated by a Wagga-based pathology clinic.
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Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology is taking over testing at the site from Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Regional manager Pene Jefferies said her team had a lab at Calvary Hospital in Wagga, and they had been part of the testing effort there.
"When the border closed, that created a bit of an issue in that Albury's testing clinic was located in Wodonga," she said.
"Patients can still go across, however, there can be delays coming back over.
"MLHD knew that testing rates in Albury had dropped for a little while, and they wanted to make sure there was still a good testing regime, so they set up here.
"But, they were using their mobile testing resources, that normally goes up and down the border testing in all the smaller towns.
"Throughout NSW, Douglas Hanly Moir has been doing a lot of drive-through clinics, so they knew what we were capable of, and asked if we'd like to take over this site.
"They were doing it as a full respiratory assessment clinic, and we decided the drive through model was more appropriate for here."
People only need their Medicare card and do not have to book ahead; they will fill out a pathology request form when they arrive.
During the first day of operation on Monday, 98 people were swabbed, with the longest waiting time being 15 minutes.
Ms Jefferies said the clinic would test people of all ages, including babies, with those who test negative receiving a text message.
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"We take the results back to our Wagga lab, and then fly them up to Sydney; it's less than a 24-hour turn-around time," she said.
"We're coming into allergy season, and they're much of the same symptoms [to COVID-19].
"We're saying to people, even if you have mild symptoms you've got to be tested - it's what we have to do to ensure there's no community transmission.
"We're all trying to make sure there's no gaps in the service."
The clinic will operate from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays - access via Fallon Street.
It is Albury's first drive-through clinic for COVID-19, adding to Albury Wodonga Health's drive-through clinic at the Wodonga campus.
That clinic continues to test people regularly, having conducted 89 swabs in the 24 hours to 8am Tuesday.
There is also a free, dedicated respiratory assessment clinic testing for COVID-19 in Wodonga, at Central Medical Group.
MLHD continues to operate testing in Albury, and in other areas through its mobile testing van.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology clinic opening hours were 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday.
