Tense moment fired-up Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and David Koch ask Health Minister Greg Hunt the question EVERY Australian wants answered about RATs Sunrise hosts grill Health Minister Greg Hunt on rapid antigen supply shortages Mr Hunt said there were 'challenges at the moment' sourcing RATs worldwide Another 52m rapid antigen tests are due to arrive from Asia & the US this month By Miriah Davis For Daily Mail Australia Published: 00:52 GMT, 20 January 2022 | Updated: 01:00 GMT, 20 January 2022 Viewcomments Fired-up Sunrise hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr have asked the question that every Australian wants answered about rapid antigen tests - where are they? The Sunrise hosts posed the question to the Health Minister on Thursday morning as shortages of rapid antigen tests persist across the country. While Mr Hunt assured the government has been working to secure stock since August, supply remains scarce around the country with the situation unlikely to improve for weeks. 'Where are they though? If you started buying since August, why can't we buy them at pharmacies at the moment and supermarkets?,' quizzed Koch. Sunrise hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr have quizzed Health Minister Greg Hunt in a tense interview on Thursday about rapid antigen test shortages in Australia (pictured) Mr Hunt said there were 'challenges at the moment' with supply of RATs all around the world, including in the US and UK. But Koch was quick to fire back. 'Not really. Not really. I have a daughter who sends tests to us here. Because she just buys them by the bucket load in London.' 'And if you've been buying since August, where are they?' interjected Barr. Mr Hunt reiterated the federal government has supplied 6.1million tests to the Aged Care sector with an additional 66 tests approved for use by the TGA. Mr Hunt (pictured) said the government has been working to secure RATs since August during a tense exchange with the Sunrise Hosts on Thursday 'The states have acquired 70million and that's additional supply that's coming from Commonwealth aged care in common with responsibilities,' Mr Hunt added. 'The states have now started to receive their purchases, and there is very significant community supply coming through pharmacies and supermarkets going forward.' A fed up Koch brought the interview to a close thanking Mr Hunt and adding: 'Still can't buy one though.' The tense exchange comes as 52 million rapid antigen test kits are due to arrive from Asia and the US this month through an emergency freight supply scheme. A lack of stock has caused a flow on effect as supply chains have critical labour shortages with workers struggling to find tests needed to be cleared to work. A recent survey conducted by Professional Pharmacists Australia found 94 per cent of pharmacies are having problems sourcing RAT supplies. Another 52 million rapid antigen test kits are due to arrive from Asia and the US this month through an emergency freight supply scheme (pictured, a nurse performs a rapid antigen test in October) Chief executive Officer Jill McCabe said the shortage of stock is placing an increasing strain on pharmacists, describing the situation as 'beyond dire'. 'Pharmacists are telling us they are extremely overworked and under significant pressure and that they do not have the supplies and equipment they need to do their jobs properly,' Ms McCabe said. 'Others spoke of the mounting pressure they were under, including one pharmacist who said there were not enough staff to handle "100 phone calls an hour asking for RATs whilst doing 80 vaccinations a day on top of the regular workload of a 400+/day script pharmacy". Of the 22 TGA approved RAT kits, the majority are manufactured in China but further delays are expected as Chinese factories are set to close for the upcoming Lunar New Year. Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility