A fresh supply of rapid antigen tests is expected in Rotorua as New Zealand moves to phase 3 today, after "unprecedented demand" exhausted yesterday's supply in half a day.
Rotorua's Covid-19 testing centre gave out 5000 rapid antigen tests (RATs) by 12.30pm in Rotorua, and the Lakes District Health Board is now urging people to stick to phase 3 rules limiting who can get a test.
New Zealand moved to the third phase of the Government's Omicron response plan at 11.59pm after recording more than 6000 new cases yesterday.
In Phase 3, people with symptoms and household contacts of confirmed cases have to be tested and isolate. Household contacts need to be tested on Day 3 and Day 10. With symptoms, they are recommended to be tested sooner.
Lakes DHB testing centres switched to using primarily rapid antigen tests (RATs) as of yesterday to reduce strain on laboratories processing PCR tests. Rotorua ran out by 12.30pm but the centre stayed open for PCR testing.
A DHB spokesperson said "unprecedented demand" for RATs resulted in 5000 being given out in Rotorua and 3000 in Taupō.
"Compared to the numbers we had seen in previous weeks, we had tripled our average daily by early morning.
"The supply we had was based on expected growth in case numbers in the region, but we were aware that we might run out if demand for the tests increased beyond the need driven by growth in cases."
From today, only those with symptoms or household contacts of a positive case will be required to test and isolate.
The DHB understood the Government had more supply of RATs coming into the country and availability would improve in the coming weeks.
The spokesperson said it had two pallets of tests arriving and would reopen today.
"It is very important that people only go to get a test if they meet the requirements for testing."
There were 75 new cases in the Lakes District Health Board area yesterday, bringing the total active cases to 331, with four in hospital, according to Toi Te Ora Public Health.
The majority - 256 - were in Rotorua, with 75 in Taupō.
Nationally, there were 6137 new community cases of Covid-19 including 205 in hospital and two in ICU.
University of Waikato professor of public health Ross Lawrenson said Covid was "taking off" everywhere, including the Bay of Plenty.
"At this early stage we're doing a lot of testing - a high proportion of people are coming forward and being tested.
"If we go from 3000 cases [on Tuesday] ... to 10,000 next week nationally, that means there's probably a whole lot of other people that have got Omicron but haven't been tested.
"I think our concern is the uncertainty we're going to have around the case numbers because it's very dependent on how many people are being tested and how we link up the RAT tests to our daily figures on the numbers of cases.
"Our modelling assumes that most cases are identified and reported."
He was also concerned about hospitalisations.
"Increasingly we're talking about not just the number of infections but the number of symptomatic cases because it's the symptomatic cases that are going to be tested and it's a proportion of those that then end up in hospital that are key for us."
In a press conference yesterday, Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins said the new phase would put the onus will be on positive cases to alert their household contacts.
Rapid tests should be available to buy at retail outlets from next month, he said.
Rotorua's Markets Twelve 21 business development executive Julia Haira said phase 3 still required owners and customers to wear masks and scan in.
"I understand that phase 3 puts a lot of responsibility on the individual, but that's pretty much how we've been operating at the markets anyway.
"We are being as inclusive as possible, while maintaining the safety and protection levels ... to keep our customers safe and our workers safe."
She said the markets had contingency plans in place for businesses to work from home if they contract the virus.
"Where there's a will, there's a way."
She said we would have to wait and see how cases over the next few weeks affected small businesses.
"I know that people are already quite terrified to step out of their houses."
Rotorua Principals Association president and Mamaku School principal Gary Veysi said while there wasn't a positive case at his school yet, "it's going to happen soon".
"It going to come into every community, so it's just making [managing infection numbers] as simple as possible."
He said the ministry now had RATs for schools to use, which was "great news".
"This will be a more efficient way of doing it."
He said parents should keep their children home if they have symptoms, and have them tested "if you feel there is a need".
He said schools had to balance keeping people safe and keeping schools "a happy, fun place to be".
"Kids do need normality. They need to be at school ... and have fun with their friends and be out and play. There can be a lot of trauma that comes from something like Covid.
"But, there can also be some great things - people do get together and people do try and find solutions and be creative.
"I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Phase 3: What you need to know
• Only household contacts of confirmed cases need to isolate. Household close contacts will need to isolate until the positive person completes 10 days of isolation. People who are symptomatic household contacts of a confirmed case will become a probable case and not need to test.
• Positive cases will be required to notify close contacts themselves. Contacts will only be traced and required to isolate if they are a high-risk contact.
• Symptomatic people and/or critical workers can get a rapid antigen test from a doctor, pharmacy, community testing centre or workplace. Healthcare and critical workers who are asymptomatic close contacts can use "test to return" rapid antigen tests.
READ MORE:
• How are NZ ports faring against Oz? 'Backlog', sky high shipping costs, widespread delays
• Covid 19: More than 6000 new cases, NZ to move to phase 3 of Omicron response
• Rotorua centre runs out of Rapid Antigen Testing
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