SOUTH Australians will now have greater access to Covid testing as the state’s peak health body looks to encourage people to not get complacent.
SA Health has announced South Australians have access to five free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) from selected collection sites, regardless of if they have been a close contact or not.
Up to 500,000 RAT kits have been made available from existing collection points for people to collect until the end of the year.
The measure has come as a way to support testing during the current wave of Covid.
Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said getting tested and avoiding contact with people displaying symptoms continues to vital to reducing Covid transmission in the community.
“The expansion of our free RAT distribution program will help South Australians access testing for themselves and members of their family to help reduce spread of the disease to others,” Prof Spurrier said.
“In addition, the RAT program will also be expanded to directly support emergency service volunteers and those living and working in vulnerable settings.
“Thank you to the South Australians who continue to report their positive RAT result, as it allows us to monitor the pandemic and enables us to support eligible people to access lifesaving Covid-19 oral antiviral treatments.”
People in Mount Gambier and surrounds will be able to access their five free RATs from the collection point at the Mount Gambier Hospital on Wehl Street North.
RATs will also be distributed to emergency services volunteers, vulnurable communities, and people living and working in supported residential facilities.
