Taupō's Great Lake Centre RAT distribution site closed

Taupō librarian Kevin Collins directs traffic towards the distribution site for rapid antigen tests at the Great Lake Centre, which has now closed. Photo / NZME

The Covid-19 rapid antigen testing distribution centre operating out of Taupō's Great Lake Centre closed this week, with Lakes District Health Board's testing station at Miro St now the sole supplier of the tests.

RAT distribution at the Great Lake Centre began operating at the beginning of March, with council staff, councillors and volunteers giving up their weekends and public holidays to staff the site.

The eight-week period saw more than 19,000 RAT test kits handed out via a drive-through system.

After an initial overwhelming response, the number of tests being collected has dropped, in line with a reduction in the number of cases in the Taupō district, meaning the service can now be handled from the Miro St site.

In all, 80 Taupō District Council staff put in 231 hours at the RAT distribution site and volunteers, including councillors and the mayor, St John volunteers and members of the community, put in an additional 108 hours.

Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas was delighted with the response from the team.

"We had staff and councillors manning the site to provide this service to our community – in most cases this was over and above their normal workload. Our team has been fantastic over the time the site was operating and it was great to see so many people band together to help."

• RAT tests can still be ordered from the website requestrats.covid19.health.nz or by ringing 0800 222 478. You will be given an order number to use when you collect your test kits at the Covid-19 testing station at 79 Miro St.