The call to close the clinics was made at around 1:30pm, as temperatures rose above 35 degrees.

Tamworth Laverty Pathology area manager Stacy Barnett said for the safety of staff it was company policy to close the clinic once a temperature of 35 degrees was recorded under the tent.

"It's getting very dangerous for the staff," she said.

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"We like to service the community... but I have to look after my staff."

Ms Barnett said due to full PPE requirements, heat stroke and dehydration were common among staff.

"They can't have drink bottles at the tables with them so they have to take breaks to actually keep hydrated.

"Which is very hard when you've got hundreds of people lined up waiting to get tested."

With temperatures in Tamworth expected to reach 40 degrees over summer Ms Barnett said the closure of the drive-through could become a regular occurrence.

"We're held at the mercy of the weather," she said.

Ms Barnett's advice for people needing to get tested was to visit one of the indoor, airconditioned testing sites, or come to the drive-through in the early morning to beat the heat.

"Just have patience with my staff and not be angry at them when we have to close," she said.

"We can only do what we can do."

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