The free Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) program is to continue in Western Australia to provide citizens an easy access to determine if they have or have had the COVID pandemic virus.
According to Premier Mark McGowan, three new drive-through sites are to be open across the metropolitan Perth from tomorrow (May 18) in Joondalup, Jandakot and Bassendean.
Mr McGowan said the new site would help provide ‘close contact’ Western Australians with more convenient options for collecting their RATs.
He said close contacts with no symptoms could leave their place of isolation provided they undertake a daily RAT, wear a mask at all times outside the home and avoid high-risk settings.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for close contacts to access free RATs in order to fulfil their daily testing requirements,” Mr McGowan said.
“The new drive-through collection points make it even more convenient for the community to pick up RATs,” he said.
The Premier said vaccination clinics in metropolitan Perth and regional collection points at testing clinics would continue to distribute free RATs for close contacts.
He said that to access free RATs at those locations, close contacts with no symptoms would be required to verbally confirm they are a close contact to access their 10 free RATs and can collect on behalf of others in their household – up to a maximum of 30 RATs.
Mr McGowan said people registered to receive free RATs but experienced delivery issues had now been emailed and can choose to either pick up their RATs from a collection point or ask for the RATs to be redelivered to their address.
“People who are collecting their household RAT allocation must show the email they received when they selected to collect their RATs,” he said.
Minister for Health, Amber-Jade Sanderson said the WA free RAT program continued to support close contacts in the community all over the State.
“Drive-through collection sites mean that fewer close contacts are attending vaccination clinics and mixing with vulnerable members in the community who are receiving their winter booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccination,” Ms Sanderson said.
She said people who return a positive RAT result must register their result online with the Department of Health.
“Those who do not have access to the online registration system must still report their positive test result by contacting 13 COVID (13 26843),” the Minister said.
A full list of collection points and opening hours is available at this PS News link.
