Category: COVID-19

Source: Covid-19 New Zealand Government Announcements

Free rapid antigen tests (RATS) for COVID-19 testing will continue to be available to the public and the health and disability sector up until the end of June 2024, Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora has confirmed today.

“With COVID-19 very much still circulating in the community and continuing to impact hospital admission rates, current clinical and public health advice supports the ongoing provision of free RATs for COVID-19 to ensure the effective ongoing management of outbreaks.”

With New Zealand’s current stocks of RATs due to expire in March, Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora is purchasing a further five million RATs, these costs can be met from existing budgets for COVID-19 services.  This will ensure continued access to RATs until 30 June 2024. No decisions have been made regarding the supply of RATs beyond June 2024.

“This means RATs will still be widely available to the public at no cost through our national network of participating providers, including some pharmacies, who can continue to order supplies from us as normal. Likewise, the wider health sector can also continue to access supplies from Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora as required.

“We strongly encourage people to make the most of the continued free access, and to keep testing if they feel unwell or think they may have COVID-19. We also encourage them to report their RAT result, as confirmation of a positive result enables people to be connected with any help and support they might need and provides vital insight on the number of active COVID-19 cases across the country.“

Participating RAT collection sites can be found at www.healthpoint.co.nz (external link) or by calling free on 0800 222 478 and choosing option 1.

Public health recommendations remain in place to guide people on how to best protect themselves and others from COVID-19:

• Stay at home if you are feeling unwell.
• Test with a RAT if you develop one or more of the following COVID-19 symptoms: a runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath. 
• Continue to report your RAT result at https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/ (external link) (or call the RAT helpline on 0800 222 478). Reporting a positive result provides vital insight on the number of active COVID-19 cases across the motu and enables you to be connected with any help and support you may need.
• If you test positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that you isolate for at least 5 days, even if you only have mild symptoms, starting at Day 0. This includes if you have had COVID-19 before. Day 0 is the day symptoms started or when you first tested positive, whichever came first. You should not go to work or school, and should discuss any return to work or school with your employer or child’s school principal, as they may require additional precautions.
• Household contacts are recommended to continue to test daily for 5 days using a RAT.
• People with a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are eligible for treatment with COVID-19 antiviral medicines. People can access these medicines if they:
  • have COVID-19 and symptoms, and
  • became sick within the last 5 days, and
  • are eligible for the medicine.

As at 31 December 2023, Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora had distributed approximately 125 million free RATs for use by healthcare providers and the public.

Attribute to Nick Chamberlain, National Director – National Public Health Service, Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand

Source: Covid-19 New Zealand Government Announcements

Te Whatu Ora is reminding everyone that additional COVID-19 booster doses continue to be available for those who are eligible. This includes people aged 30 and older, and those aged 16 to 29 who are pregnant or are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

If you are eligible, you can receive an additional COVID-19 booster dose, regardless of how many doses you had previously. You need to wait six months between doses, and it’s recommended that you wait six months after your last COVID-19 infection. 

For those who are already up to date with COVID-19 boosters, the people who are most likely to benefit from another COVID-19 booster in late 2023 include: 

• Anyone aged 75 and older
• Māori and Pacific people aged 65 and older
• People aged 30 to 74 with significant complex health needs
• People aged 16 and older who are severely immunocompromised.

You can book an appointment by visiting bookmyvaccine.nz (external link), checking Healthpoint (external link) for vaccination locations near you, or by talking to your doctor, pharmacist or hauora provider. 

Source: Covid-19 New Zealand Government Announcements

Providing antiviral medicine for COVID-19 to eligible people will become the key focus of primary and community pharmacy care from 1 October, ensuring people most at risk of serious outcomes from the virus receive the support they need.

Most people who get COVID-19 have a mild to moderate illness and can safely recover at home, while others at higher risk of serious outcomes can benefit significantly from antiviral medicine.

The continued support with a focus on antiviral medicine reflects the transition to managing COVID-19 in the same way as other acute respiratory conditions.

Antiviral medicine will be available in both primary care and community pharmacy for those who meet Pharmac’s access criteria.  This supports those at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19, including hospitalisation, free of charge.

Emphasis is also being placed on the importance of people staying up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Having the latest COVID-19 vaccination or booster will help protect those most at risk from serious illness,” says Dr William Rainger, National Public Health Service, Te Whatu Ora.

“We also recommend anyone testing positive, using a Rapid Antigen Test or RAT, to stay at home and isolate for 5 days and report the result through My Covid Record. 

“They should also wear a mask if they need to leave isolation for any reason, and not visit a healthcare location, except to access medical care, or where there may be people at higher risk. While no longer mandated, isolating and mask wearing remain important in preventing the spread of COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses.

“We are encouraging people to check the Pharmac website and ask their doctor, pharmacist or hauora provider if they think they, or someone in their whānau, may be eligible for free antiviral medicines.”

People can get a prescription for antivirals from their doctor or hauora provider, and many pharmacies can supply antiviral medicine without a prescription.

“The primary care and pharmacy sector has worked incredibly hard this year and shown us how well we can deliver antiviral medicines for COVID-19.  This has had a very positive impact and kept New Zealanders safe. We’d really like to thank those providing care and are pleased we can continue this support as we move into the summer of 2023 and next year,” says Dr Rainger.

The new Model of Care, with its focus on those most at risk and providing antiviral medicine to those who are eligible, is expected to be in place until 29th February 2024, with funding being reviewed in December 2023 as part of the Half Year Financial Update.