About 450 people were tested on Friday and 260 had been tested on Saturday by about 2.30pm.

EGHS chief executive Peter Armstrong said the numbers were "looking strong".

"I'd like to give a big shout out to the local community and the Ararat Rural City for the logistics of setting that up in short notice," he said.

"It's been a really good initiative. Staff are keen to work every day to ensure our local community is safe.

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"The message today (Saturday) is the same as it has been on other days. If anyone has been to an exposure site at the times listed - come forth and get a swab. It's drive up with no appointment needed."

Grampians Public Health Unit medical director Rosemary Aldrich said civic leaders were all working together to ensure the safety of the community.

"Vaccination is our best defence," she said.

"Ararat Rural City LGA is doing a magnificent job with vaccinations and certainly way ahead of the state average with both single and double dosing.

"But having said that, there is still a way to go. Because vaccination is our best defence we are really encouraging every resident to come out and get the vaccination that is available to them."

Associate Professor Aldrich also encouraged any residents with the slightest of symptoms to come forward to get tested.

"COVID can be quite a mild condition so what we're also asking is that someone might have felt like they've had a cold and it's gone now. We would really hope anyone with a recent symptom would come out to get tested because even though it might be mild in me, it could mean that a person I come into contact with might have a much more severe condition," she said.

"Even if a person has been vaccinated they can still get COVID. They can still transmit COVID. They themselves will probably only have mild symptoms if any."

Associate Professor Aldrich said the testing numbers were fantastic.

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"We would really need to see more and more come out so we can have a really good confidence on what that means where COVID might be, or not be, in the community," she said.

"1000, 2000 negative tests would give us great confidence that we've got containment.

"Whereas 200 tests over three days wouldn't. That's part of the story that would lead the civic leaders that would make decisions about what happens next."

Mr Armstrong said EGHS had put on an extra 10 staff each day to cater for the increase of testing.

"The staff have been really good," he said.

"They are certainly really keen commitment and have been prepared for this for a while.

"They're embracing it. I think a larger impact would be dependant on if we have to continue to keep swabbing. At this point of time, they've covered it pretty well."

Mr Armstrong said the testing site was a challenge on Friday due to the rain.

"Due to the quickness in setting it up but the wait times were about 20 minutes to 30 minutes which is pretty good," he said

"I would have thought today was about the same. Compared to some other places around the state it's pretty good wait times."

Associate Professor Aldrich said the health services right across the region and civic leaders have been preparing for an event like this for some time.

"I think the community can have great confidence in the leaders of the community to work as indeed we are all on the same team," she said.

"Every afternoon there is a meeting from the civic leaders who are thinking about this and reflecting on the situation and that will continue as long as it needs to continue."

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