The clinic, which will be led by general practitioners, was opened Monday afternoon as part of a partnership between Primary Health Tasmania and the federal government.

Coronavirus: All the latest updates on COVID-19 for Tasmania

This clinic differs from other testing facilities as it allows patients to be assessed as well as tested.

Launceston Medical Centre managing director Jerome Muir Wilson said it was important to assess patients along with testing for COVID-19.

"For the 80 per cent of people who get mild symptoms this allows them to not only get a test done but also an assessment of any treatment they need," he said.

"At the drive through clinic people get a swab from a nurse but they don't get an assessment.

"So nobody listens to their chest, takes their temperature, they can't prescribe antibiotics if they have got pneumonia."

He said it was important for Tasmanians to remain vigilant despite no new cases of COVID-19 being detected in the last three days.

"Five months ago in the world we only had one case and now we have 3.5 million," Dr Muir Wilson said.

"We need to have the ability to test widely so we can get on top of any outbreaks early."

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Primary Health Tasmania chief executive Phil Edmondson said the clinic was one of 100 set up across Australia.

He said no referral was needed but in the first instance people should contact their GPs.

"It is really important that people keep contact with their usual general practitioner, they will provide you with the range of options available to you. " he said.

If you do not have access to your GP or do not have one you can make a booking online through the HotDoc website.

Mr Edmondson said the aim of the clinics was to expand testing capacity and ease stress on GPs.

"The clinics are there to add to the capacity of Tasmania to test as many patients as possible to make sure our population is safe and well," he said.

"It also helps the GP to ensure that they are not inadvertently exposing themselves or other patients to potential cases of coronavirus.

"That is not to say that some practices aren't prepared to test themselves or to continue to manage their patients that is why we are saying make sure you keep in contact with your usual GP."

Federal Liberal member for Bass Bridget Archer said the GP-led clinics were another tool to help in Tasmania's fight against COVID-19.

"I strongly encourage people with these symptoms to access this clinic so they can be clinically assessed by a health professional, tested if needed, and receive any treatment they might need," she said.

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