Rapid antigen tests arrive ahead of omicron peak

Te Whanganui-a-Tara - Over the past two days, 5.2 million rapid antigen tests (RATs) have arrived in New Zealand, as the country moves to the next phase of the omicron response.

Another 10 million will arrive over the weekend, bringing the total supply of RATs in the country to more than 22 million by Monday.

RATs will increasingly become the primary testing method in the community with daily case numbers expected to hit 10,000 very soon.

The tests will soon be shipped to community testing centres, GPs and pharmacies right across New Zealand. Businesses who need them as part of the close contact exemption scheme can also access them.

Users who take a RAT will get their results within 20 minutes which will help identify cases sooner, reduce testing wait times and minimise disruption to business and ensure critical services and infrastructure workforce can continue to keep New Zealand operating.

Despite significant global constraints, New Zealand has secured enough RATs to ensure that anyone who needs a test can get one throughout the omicron outbreak.

Aotearoa has orders in place for 180 million RATs over the next six months.

In phase three, PCR tests will be used in hospitals, aged residential care facilities and GPs can order a PCR if they think it’s necessary.