Workers at the Splash Planet Covid 19 pop-up testing centre in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
Workers at the Splash Planet Covid 19 pop-up testing centre in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
There were 94 fresh Covid cases announced in Hawke's Bay on Friday - a daily record for the region, with one person in hospital.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the latest cases during its Covid-19 daily update.
Nationwide, there were 12,011 cases announced on Friday, which was also a daily record and about double the number of cases announced on Thursday.
It means there have been more than150 cases in Hawke's Bay during the past two days, with 60 on Thursday. Those figures include cases detected by either an RAT or PCR test.
"As the Omicron outbreak grows, RATs are now used as the primary test at all community testing centres," a Ministry of Health release stated on Friday.
Hawke's Bay DHB Covid-19 senior responsible officer Chris Mckenna said RAT kits - which return a fast result for Covid - will be used more often at Hawke's Bay testing sites from now on.
"Testing staff will determine which test [PCR or RAT] is best for you as it may be clinically appropriate for some people to get a PCR."
Rapid antigen testing (RAT) kits will become commonplace at Covid test sites in Hawke's Bay, largely replacing PCR tests. Photo / NZME
RAT test results are available in about 20 minutes compared to two to five days for a PCR test.
The Hawke's Bay DHB has encouraged anyone with cold- or flu-like symptoms to get tested.
A list of no-appointment Covid testing sites for Friday, Saturday and Sunday can be found below.
However, if you do not have symptoms, you only require a test if you are a household contact or have been told to get one by a health official, the DHB clarified.
The Government is also supplying free RATs, which can be self-administered, for workers in "critical services" who are close contacts of a Covid case.
That includes the likes of healthcare, emergency services, transport and food production workers among other critical services.
Those eligible workers can order online and pick up RAT kits from a local collection site, and can self-administer the tests so they can return to work with a negative result.
