In an update on Thursday, Mr Sharp said the public health unit had begun to receive supplies of the tests and was currently undergoing preparations to distribute them.
“We’re really looking forward to using that as an adjunct to PCR testing,” he said.
“We will be rolling out those rapid antigen testing kits to the testing sites that we support across our public health unit.”
GV Health recorded 457 new COVID-19 cases across the public health unit in the latest reporting period, including 221 in Shepparton.
This brings the total number of cases across the unit to more than 2000.
Household and workplace close contacts have been encouraged to attend testing sites to receive rapid antigen tests on days one and six of isolation.
Mr Sharp said the waiting period for results had dropped to around three days, which would continue to improve as the rapid antigen tests began to support the testing services.
“It will enable more capacity for PCR testing space, which we do need,” he said.
Those wishing to receive a rapid antigen test kit from a testing site will need to bring their Medicare card with them.
GV Health continues to prepare for an increase in hospitalisations in the coming weeks as COVID-19 cases rise in the area.
Mr Sharp said the initial seven- to 14-day lag between the rise in case numbers and hospitalisations with Delta cases had shortened to five to seven.
“We’ve got plans to open another ward ... for COVID-positive patients,” he said.
“We can activate that pretty quickly when the need arises.”
GV Health continues to experience severe staff shortages, and this week has reduced services at the specialist clinics, community health areas and dental services.
There are currently 150 full-time positions vacant unrelated to GV Health’s COVID-19 services.
These are equivalent to over 50 full-time doctors, 40 nurses in acute medical and surgical services and another 40 full-time staff in the mental health unit.
Mr Sharp said he understood the long wait times for patients had been “frustrating”.
“I do absolutely acknowledge that patients and clients have been waiting for a long period of time just to attend a specialist clinic appointment,” he said.
“But we’re not in normal circumstances.”
Mr Sharp called for “compassion and understanding” from patients and clients for hospital staff.