RATs in Ōpōtiki

There is a new word in everyone’s vocabulary: “RATs”. Finding them, knowing what to do with them and getting them to the Ōpōtiki community has meant some busy weekends for volunteers and staff across a range of organisations.

RATs, or Rapid Antigen Tests, are now the main testing method being used to detect Covid-19 if you have symptoms or are a household contact. It is a swab test about 2-3 centimetres into the nostril and a result is available in about 20 minutes.

Because RATs are part of the Covid-19 public health response, they are free for those that need them, and their distribution is being centrally managed. People can request RATs online or by phone and then pick them up with minimal contact.

When the District Health Board requested a central collection point for RATs in Ōpōtiki, several community groups came together to quickly find a collective solution. There is now a collection point outside Te Ao Hou on King Street for RATs pickup.

Providing a safe RATs collection point, seven days a week across multiple agencies has been a “bit of a logistical effort” and Alison Killeen from Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance team was there for the weekend to see that hard work pay off.

“It was awesome for the Eastern Bay PHA to be able to work with Te Ao Hou, Ōpōtiki Our Way and the KO Kollective to pull this all together so well. It was a weekend spent with fun people and it was great to see some of our rangitahi pitching in and volunteering their time and energy”.

“Ōpōtiki now has a 7-day-a-week collection point supported by dozens of volunteers and staff from all different agencies. There have been more than 8000 tests given out in the last 10 days and the process has been a real community-led effort.

“Everyone we spoke to in our community were doing their bit to safely manage themselves and their whanau amidst the Omicron spread. Fear, apprehension and stress are a by-product of this pandemic. Despite this, our whanau work through it and do the best they can for their whanau and the community by doing the RAT testing. And all done with politeness, a smile, a laugh and showing their manaakitanga with the odd bag of barley sugars,” said Ms Killeen.

Tests can be ordered online via requestrats.covid19.health.nz and can be picked up from 38/40 King St:

• Monday - Friday 9am-noon and 1pm-2.30pm
• Saturday and Sunday 10am -2pm

You can read more about RATs and how to order them on the Unite Against Covid-19 website.