Northeast Health Wangaratta interim chief executive Fiona Shanks told her community today "persistent, aggressive verbal abuse from those using our service and making a booking ... simply won't be tolerated".

"The key reason for this is I had staff expressing to me just how exhausting and distressing the day had been," she told The Border Mail.

"We face really difficult situations on a daily basis and we face a lot of aggression - it's part of the work we do.

"However, for a COVID screening clinic and a call centre to face a torrent of abuse from many, many people ringing because our lines have been overrun, and they can't get through on the first call ... in my opinion, is simply unacceptable and that behaviour needs to be called out."

Ms Shanks said the service have been in demand for two weeks, with the requirement for Victorians returning from interstate to be tested.

"There was a particular level of frustration from people travelling home ... that have hit the border and attempt to get their testing out of the way," she said.

"So they're not all from the region, however, there are community members that have been just as frustrated.

"We do our best to manage the flow ... and we do surge up.

"But I will not tolerate at all inappropriate behaviour towards our staff when they are working incredibly hard.

"We're just asking for respect, kindness and patience."

Victorian Health officials have repeatedly told returning Victorians not to front up to the first testing clinics they find after crossing the border.

Ms Shanks expects demand to drop towards the end of the week.

"I've granted staff the permission to just advise the caller if they can't speak respectfully, they should hang up, and when they've got their emotions under control, they can ring back.

"It is different to a person presenting to ED with an illness or complication that contributes to their capacity to control their emotions.

"People are frustrated with the processes they're required to do, and many people are doing the right thing ... but it needed to be said."

Albury Wodonga Health nursing director Sally Squire said such behaviour was unacceptable.

"It's certainly something that we're very alert to; the protection and the safety of our staff is the priority at all times, and people who come to our service and are abusive towards staff will not be tolerated," she said.

Pressure has been felt across many front-line sectors; Australian Retailers Association boss Paul Zahra recently told The Border Mail of "increased customer aggression and customer abuse".

Further, asked about how regional businesses were navigating new restrictions in NSW, Greater Hume mayor Heather Wilton raised inappropriate behaviour.

"There are the odd group of people who think it's a load of rubbish and they can sometimes become abusive," she said.

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"I find that quite disappointing.

"The people on the other side of the counter or at the door are only trying to follow the rules and they can be fined.

"Some are taking details (in lieu of customers not having an app) and are not even confident they're getting actual information.

"There's enough angst for people in business to deal with, without having to deal with this behaviour."