So far around 152,000 Victorians have been tested for COVID-19.

Up until this week, testing was strictly limited to those who had been overseas or who had been in contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus.

Now in a bid to understand if or how the virus is spreading throughout communities and if stage three restrictions should be eased, the state government has opened up testing for not only those with cold or flu-like symptoms, but for people who are asymptomatic.

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I was invited to present to the Warrnambool Base Hospital's new drive-thru respiratory assessment clinic to be tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Once waved through the entrance by a security guard, I was greeted by three nurses in personal protective gear and handed two forms to fill out with my name, address, phone number and Medicare details. A third form was given to keep with further information.

Then a nurse with a swab approached the driver's side window and explained how the test works.

The test is a nasopharyngeal and throat swab - one swab either side of the tonsils and up both sides of the nose. The swab is long and thin, with a metal arm and a cotton-like tip much like an earbud.

The swab tests for COVID-19 as well as a panel of common respiratory viruses, including influenza and rhinovirus.

The nurses instruct you to open your mouth and stick your tongue out and then rest your head back to swab each nostril.

It's certainly an odd feeling but the swab is so thin you can hardly feel it there. The most uncomfortable part was the nostrils as they go a fair way up, but the whole thing is over in a few seconds. You barely notice it's happened!

I was advised my test results would take a number of days to come back after being sent to Heidelberg in Melbourne for analysis.

Once tested, it is not necessary to self-isolate while waiting for results.

If positive, I would be required to isolate for 14 days and a SWH doctor would call to notify me of my positive test result, along with a DHHS worker who would gather more information on contact history.

The Standard has been working with the region's hospitals to give readers a daily update of the number of tests being carried out.

In Warrnambool on Tuesday there were 72 people tested at the asymptomatic drive thru clinic, 115 SWH staff at the Warrnambool Base Hospital and 31 staff at the Camperdown Hospital.

There were 51 people displaying coronavirus symptoms tested at the Warrnambool Base Hospital offsite respiratory assessment clinic and eight symptomatic inpatients were tested in Warrnambool Base Hospital yesterday.

Portland District Health did a combined 176 swabs on Tuesday which included healthcare workers and emergency services workers at the clinic held at the hospital, offsite at two other industries and the fever clinic.

Fifty people were tested at Western District Health Service's drive thru clinic in Hamilton on Tuesday, along with 16 staff.

One person presented to the Hamilton Base Hospital emergency department displaying coronavirus symptoms.

Just because asymptomatic people are encouraged to be tested, doesn't mean everyone should get tested, explained respiratory assessment clinic manager Rachael Lee.

"It's targeting those who haven't been able to isolate at home and have had to come out to work, so hospital workers, retail workers, emergency services such as police, ambulance and fire brigade - basically anyone who has had to come out in the community and therefore has a higher risk of picking up the virus," she said.

"What it's shown is that people can carry this virus and not have any symptoms at all, so they present as being completely well but still may have a chance of spreading it to others.

"This is a system to pick up those who might be carrying it."

Infections prevention coordinator Jenny Lukeis stressed appointments are not required for the drive thru screenings.

They are still required, however, for anyone displaying symptoms at the offsite symptomatic respiratory screening clinic where people are firstly phone-screened by RAC nurses. The SWH COVID Hotline to assess this service is 5563 1666

"We have our special designated clinic for symptomatic people, people who might have a runny nose or a cough, to segregate symptomatic and asymptomatic people," she said.

The drive thru testing will operate between 9 am to 12 noon tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and, according to demand, may continue next week.

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