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Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 Omicron: Whanganui and Ruapehu pharmacies get steady uptake of rapid antigen tests

Mike Tweed
By Mike Tweed
Multimedia Journalist·Whanganui Chronicle·
13 Jan, 2022 04:00 AM4 mins to read

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Whanganui Central City Pharmacy owner Stacey Simpson says about 10 to 12 customers a day were wanting a rapid antigen test. Photo / Bevan Coley

Whanganui Central City Pharmacy owner Stacey Simpson says about 10 to 12 customers a day were wanting a rapid antigen test. Photo / Bevan Coley

Pharmacies in and around Whanganui offering rapid antigen testing (RAT) for Covid-19 say the uptake of the tests has been steady.

Free rapid antigen tests are available at selected pharmacies until the end of January for people who are not fully vaccinated and travelling domestically with companies that require a negative test result, such as Air Chathams.

People must be asymptomatic and over the age of 12 years and three months to be eligible.

Whanganui Central City Pharmacy owner Stacey Simpson said they were averaging about 10 to 12 customers a day.

"If they don't fit the criteria we tell them where they can go, or explain to them what the criteria is," Simpson said.

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"It's just been ticking away."

The pharmacy still had tests available, although Simpson said they may have to order more soon.

"We've probably been busier with booster vaccinations more than anything, especially now they've been brought back to four months [after the second dose].

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"There are still people coming in to get their first and second doses as well. That's been fantastic."

Senior pharmacist at Aramoho Pharmacy, Ray Anderson, said they had turned a few people away who were after a test.

"People have been wanting it for international flights, or they are already vaccinated and have a pass anyway.

"By and large, the people who are coming in are fitting the criteria though."

The test itself was quite a quick process, Anderson said.

"You wait 15 minutes for it to react and get a result, then you go onto the Eclair network and record it, then they send a text to the patient.

"It's generally been trouble free, except for [Wednesday] when the whole website crashed. Things are back up and running now."

Anderson said they usually had three or four people a day coming in for a test.

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"Most people need it for the likes of the Interislander, Air New Zealand, or an event that requires a pass."

Daniel Choi, who is in charge of the Taihape and Ohakune pharmacies, said uptake of tests had been steady over the past few weeks.

"In Taihape, I think most people coming in have been travellers from Auckland.

"A lot of people came in just before Christmas and a few days after New Year's when we reopened."

Choi said the pharmacy could expect about 20 people to come in during those busy days and about four on others.

"I can see that continuing until the end of the month perhaps, because people are still on holiday and stuff like that.

"I think the criteria for getting the test done may change in the future, and become more accessible. We'll have to keep an eye out for that."

He said at the moment there were enough tests.

"Again, it will all be different when the criteria changes. I think there will be a lot more uptake.

"I've heard that a few pharmacies in the Taupo area have completely run out and are waiting for more."

In Ohakune, Choi said uptake had been similar to Taihape.

"I think Taihape has been busier overall because we have a lot more passing traffic here."

The RAT test involves a swab of the front of the nose, to test for proteins that are only present in someone with a Covid-19 infection.

They aren't as accurate as a PCR nasal test according to the Ministry of Health.

The PCR nasal swab test has been the traditional method used throughout the pandemic in New Zealand.

Local pharmacies offering rapid antigen tests are Aramoho Pharmacy, Central City Pharmacy, Ohakune Pharmacy, Taihape Pharmacy, Patea Pharmacy, and Mountainview Pharmacy in Hāwera.

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