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NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has accused Queensland of perverting the purposes of pathology testing as travellers seeking COVID-19 tests clog up the already overwhelmed system.

It comes as the state reported another 6062 infections on Tuesday, down 172 on the day before.

But the number of tests processed dropped again, down to about 93,500, compared to the 164,000 processed last Thursday.

People travelling to Queensland are required to have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of coming to the state, which NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says is putting "incredible pressure" on the system.

Many testing clinics are also running at reduced operating hours over the festive period.

Wait times for results have now blown out beyond the 72 hours in most cases, to the point the results are no longer even relevant, Mr Hazzard told reporters on Tuesday.

"It is taking up to four days, sometimes five days to get test results.

"They might have been negative on day one when they had their test, but they could well be positive on day four or day five when they cross the border."

"It make no sense at all."

One traveller who spoke to AAP said some people hoping to travel north may even struggle to get swabbed in the first place.

She arrived at a Port Macquarie testing clinic before it even opened, and had been queuing for more than an hour and a half when she was turned away after staff spotted her Queensland licence plates.

The woman, who was in town to visit family for the first time in months, says she had to leave the queue and return in her mum's car to secure a test.

While Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk denies the rule is contributing significantly to NSW's testing woes, she has hinted it may be scrapped on January 1.

But NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has joined Mr Hazzard in insisting the rule is changed immediately.

He told reporters he is having constructive conversations with Ms Palaszczuk about instead accepting rapid antigen test (RAT) results.

However the test kits are in short supply in NSW, with residents reporting they're impossible to buy.

Mr Perrottet said the state has ordered 20 million RAT tests which will be distributed for free, but they won't be available until late January.

He also pleaded for only those who are unwell or contacted by NSW Health to present for testing while the state deals with the surge in demand.

"Please only get a PCR test if you are required to do so," he said.

"We are still seeing many people in those queues who do not need to be there."

He also confirmed NSW Health is working with hospitals to adjust PCR testing requirements for women preparing to give birth.

"No one who is pregnant should be sitting in long queues," Mr Perrottet said.

Adding to the mayhem, a Sydney pathology laboratory run by St Vincent's Hospital admitted on Monday about 950 people were told they were COVID-19 negative when in fact their results hadn't been returned yet.

About half - 486 - have since been confirmed to have the virus.

On the previous day, the same company confirmed more than 400 people who initially received a negative result were notified on Boxing Day they had actually tested positive.

SydPath put the incident down to human error amid unprecedented pressure, and has urged people being tested for travel to go elsewhere.

"We are reducing the number of COVID tests we process to ensure the volume remains within our capacity," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"A sizeable proportion of SydPath's recent testing has involved those requiring a test for travel purposes, due to overwhelming demand we advise that we must prioritise testing for those who need it most."

Meanwhile, healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 will be able to leave isolation and return to work faster under new guidelines announced Monday.

The change comes after 2000 NSW healthcare workers were furloughed, and the number of people hospitalised with the virus doubled over the past week.

A total of 557 people are in hospital, with 60 of them in intensive care.

The state also reported one death on Tuesday.

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Tasmania has recorded 43 new coronavirus cases, its second highest daily infection tally since reopening borders about two weeks ago.

The figures, reported on Tuesday, takes the state's number of active cases to 243.

The majority, 142 cases, are being managed at home, while there are 60 people in community management clinics and one person in hospital for an unrelated medical condition.

A further 21 people are still being assessed.

Tasmania was free of COVID-19 when it reopened to fully vaccinated travellers from mainland hotspots on December 15.

The state health department reported 44 cases on Boxing Day, with the figure dropping to 35 on Monday.

The state government is seeking advice on whether rapid antigen tests could be used to screen interstate arrivals.

Under current rules, all visitors from high-risk areas must return a negative PCR test in the 72 hours before they arrive in Tasmania.

© AAP 2021

A large-scale search is under way in the NSW's central west for two children who went for a walk and never came back.

Emergency services were called about 5.45pm on Monday to a property in Kains Flat, about 35 kilometres northeast of Mudgee, following reports two children were missing.

They had gone for a walk about 2:30pm but had not returned, police were told.

Eli Jones, 14 is about 175cm tall with brown hair and was last seen wearing a grey t-shirt.

Hannah Jones, 12, is about 160cm tall with brown hair and is believed to be wearing a pink top.

Specialist officers from Police Rescue and the Dog Unit are searching for the pair, alongside paramedics, Rural Fire Service volunteers, the Westpac rescue chopper and other volunteers.

© AAP 2021