CANBERRANS waiting up to eight hours for a covid test have been told that lengthy delays are expected, according to ACT Health Minister Rachel-Stephen Smith.

Stories have emerged of Canberrans waiting eight hours and others who were turned away from testing clinics at Weston Creek and EPIC yesterday (August 12).

The development comes on the back of more than 2000 tests conducted in the ACT since the lockdown was announced yesterday. There have been 1331negative test results returned in the 24 hours to 9am.

ANU student Savannah Benson shared her experience on Twitter last night, saying: “Finally starting my #ACTLockdown after being sent home after waiting for a covid test for eight hours.”

This morning (August 13) Minister Stephen-Smith apologised to people turned away from testing clinics, but said it was “unrealistic” to expect everything to move along “in the blink of an eye”.

“No jurisdiction in the first few days of an outbreak has been able to surge to meet the demand in testing,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

“While we have had planning in place its hard to do that surge in a short time.

“We will continue to ramp up resources.”

More swabs than ever were taken yesterday, with 800 tests conducted at EPIC and more than 300 at the new drive-through testing centre at Brindabella Park, Ms Stephen-Smith said.

Long lines at testing clinics have been recorded right across Canberra today.

Canberra resident Jack Smal waited for two hours at the Brindabella Park testing centre this morning, he said the line was “huge” from about 6.30am.

“We were one of the first 40 cars out of 250 to 300 cars we think we saw,” Mr Smal said.

“The line stretched all the way from the airport all the way down to the Fyshwick exit as you’re heading towards the city, bumper-to-bumper, it was huge.”

Another resident told “CityNews” he’s already waited five hours, at the Weston Creek testing clinic, and is still in line.

“It took me five hours to get within sight of the entrance to the centre, the line moves very slowly, maybe 5-10 metres every 20 minutes,” he said.

” The atmosphere is a bit melancholic, some people are agitated, no one has offered food, water, sunscreen, nor has there been any kind of direction.”

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.