A flight carrying around a million rapid antigen tests (RATs) has touched down in Christchurch.
By Lachie McLeod
The Singapore Airlines flight carrying the much-needed supply of tests flew in from Singapore on Monday morning.
They are Orient Gene tests manufactured in China and purchased from Kudu Spectrum and will be distributed to South Island sites over the next few weeks
The Ministry of Health says around 10 million RATs arrived over the weekend, on top of five million that arrived late last week and have been sent into the community.
The Ministry of Health says this shipment now brings New Zealand’s total supply of RATs in the country to around 14 million.
They will be shipped to community testing centres, GPs and pharmacies right across New Zealand.
“We have orders in place for 180 million RATs over the next six months,” Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says.
Most people seeking a Covid-19 test are given a RAT in the first instance as they are the primary testing method in the community.
In Phase three of the Omicron response, PCR tests will be used in hospitals and aged residential care facilities, and GPs can order one if necessary.
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