I had yet another reminder last weekend when I called my aunt who lives in Johannesburg. She is recovering from COVID-19.

She told me she had been sick with what felt like a really bad flu and went to get a test. It confirmed what she already expected - she was COVID positive.

What shocked me the most was the test - the same nose and throat swab we have in Australia - cost her 850 South African Rand, which is about $85.

My cousin visiting from Cape Town has similar symptoms to my aunt, but instead of paying to get tested they've decided to assume he also has COVID and isolate together until they feel better.

As Sydneysiders bunker down and the rest of the state experiences restrictions due to COVID the one repeated message is clear: if you have any symptoms, no matter how mild, get tested.

I'm not sure we'd have much luck convincing people to do so if the test wasn't free. After all, $85 is nothing to be sneezed at.

In Australia there are few barriers to getting tested, with widely distributed centres which are easy to access.

At some testing centres, you don't even have to get out of your car.

Plus, we usually get our results within 24 hours, making the process as simple and convenient as possible.

Most Australians could probably agree the worst part about getting a COVID test is the uncomfortable feeling of a cotton wool bud being put up their nose.

I think it's this accessibility and ease which has allowed us to stay on top of community spread better than many other countries.

There's many things I'm frustrated with about this pandemic, including the snap lockdowns and a confusing vaccination rollout.

All of us are ready for it to be over and life to be back to normal.

Until then, I think it's important to recognise while things could be better, they also could have been much worse.

Also, to echo the health professionals, get tested.

Not only because it's the right thing to do, but because you can.

Maeve Bannister is a reporter at the Bay Post and Narooma News.