The two-year-old asthmatic was first swabbed more than a month ago.

But the test has since become less "unpleasant" now that health officials know they can get an accurate result without having to swab quite as far back into the nose.

"With the first one they had to keep the swab in the back of his throat for eight seconds, and then up his nose for about eight seconds," his mother, Laura Patrick, said.

"You have to hold them back and let it happen. He was tough, he took it pretty well, but the new tests are so much quicker and easier.

"This time it was pretty much in and out."

Dr Paul Craven, the medical controller for Hunter New England's response to COVID-19, said the COVID-19 swab was previously taken from about five-to-six centimetres into the nose.

"People had said it was not too bad, but a bit uncomfortable," he said. "Now what we're saying is you can put it back two-to-three centimetres instead. What you do is put it along the floor of the nose until you feel any resistance and you stop there, and you get the same amount of virus - which is good, because it means we won't miss things.

"We know it is just as good and it is much less unpleasant for people, and I guess it will save a bit of time as well because it's a much easier test to perform."

Dr Craven urged anyone - including children - with even the mildest symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.

"We want to know what's in our community," he said.

"Children don't get as sick, but they can carry it very well around the community and they could spread it to an older person who is vulnerable and they could get dreadfully sick with COVID-19."

Dr Craven advised the best port of call to get a child tested was to start at the GP.

"See your GP first because you'll get a full consult with them and they can refer you to a private pathology clinic for the test," he said.

"If you go to a drive-through clinic, we really like them to be above five. If you go to a respiratory clinic in the community, such as the one in Raymond Terrace, they will see you if you are above one year of age.

"The reason we say five and above for the drive-through clinics is because we don't want to miss anything more serious. If you have a young child in the back of the car, we can't do a good assessment."

Dr Craven encouraged adults to get tested at the university clinic where possible, to practice social distancing and wash hands regularly.

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