Peter Gutwein,Premier
Tasmania will shortly be moving to rapid antigen testing as the primary diagnostic tool to detect cases of COVID-19 and full details will be provided tomorrow at a COVID press conference.
Rapid antigen tests (RAT), if required to be used under our rules because you are symptomatic or a designated close contact, will be free to anyone within Tasmania in the same way that PCR testing has been and will continue to be.
Following yesterday’s decision of National Cabinet to change testing requirements, I have received advice from the Department of Health recommending that people who test positive on a rapid antigen test will be considered as a case of COVID-19 and be subject to the same requirements as cases confirmed by a PCR test.
Anyone who is symptomatic or a close contact of a COVID-19 case should contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange to collect a RAT or to book to undertake a PCR test at a Testing Clinic. Bookings for PCR tests are also available on line.
If you test positive on a RAT, you must register your positive test result either through the Public Health Hotline or preferably online through the following link www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/covid-care which will be available from 7.00pm tonight.
People who already have a positive RAT result in recent days will be able to use this registration mechanism to identify themselves as a case and to obtain assistance.
