As COVID community cases rise and demand for COVID-19 tests increase, Hawke’s Bay DHB is relocating its Hastings testing location from Splash Planet to Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds from tomorrow, with options for supervised or collect and go testing.

COVID-19 Senior Responsible Officer Chris Mckenna said drive-in testing centres in Napier and Hastings had distributed about 2000 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits daily, but more space was required in Hastings as the drive-in was shared alongside vaccinations.

“By scaling up our Hastings location by size and resource to cater for testing only, our providers will be better placed to meet ongoing demand.

“There is a steady supply of RAT kits on order and will be providing these at drive-in testing centres to anyone with cold or flu symptoms, no matter how mild, or to anyone who has been identified as a household contact of a positive case.”

The Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds testing site would be open 10am to 2pm daily.

Mrs McKenna said people should not request RAT kits from community collection sites, such as selected pharmacies listed on the Healthpoint website, unless they were critical workers or household contacts of a positive case.

Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 using a RAT needed to record their result in My Covid Record, as well as advise their employer. Those not able to access My Covid Record should call 0800-222-478 to register their positive result and receive advice.

Mrs Mckenna said staying home if unwell and doing the basics right such as wearing a mask, physical distancing and good hand hygiene would all help toward minimising the spread of the virus and protecting others, including the most vulnerable.

A list of all COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites across Hawke’s Bay can be found here.

For full information on COVID-19 Omicron Phase 3 visit www.COVID19.govt.nz

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