I'm not sure if this really counts as a "deal" per se, so remove if necessary, but the government's online portal for ordering RAT kits is now up.
Answer the questions, provide your phone number and address, and you'll be given an order code which you can then show at a collection point to receive your RATs.
One order per household (I'm not sure how repeats are handled).
These are coming online rapidly. DHBs are having to build up distribution networks locally, so anticipate this growing massively in the coming days.
Just picked up a bunch from Orchard Rd. My dad skipped the line and grabbed them by walking in.
A bunch? How many do you need?
One each for the household, but the place I went to only had 5 pack's, so we got 5 for our household of 3.
should be mailing these to people. not asking sick people to drive around or use public transport to get a test.
Given the state of the courier companies at the moment we'd probably be over COVID by the time the parcel arrived.
Likewise PCR test results 😂
Although my mother had one in Palmerston North this morning and received her clear test result back same day mid afternoon 👍
Or atlease just pay for shipping. I went to the mt wellington site and that was over an hours wait in the sun and the queue starts on penrose road, they should really use a site big enough for traffic since you have to use a car. They didnt allow me to walk in
I went there yesterday around 2pm. In and out in 20 mins.
i went at midday today and i was the only one there,i guess the rush has died off.
Thanks for this. I went to a collection point yesterday but they told me it was for critical workers only. Have ordered and can collect immediately.
They told me to go to a testing site to get a testing kit, which I did, but I was only limited to one (for myself). Husband had to go again today for himself and looks like he’s tested positive, so glad I can get some to test the rest of the household as I’m still waiting on my chemist warehouse order.
Minimal wait at my collection point. Got a pack of 4 tests for each household member so 16 in total. It was a drive through so stayed in car with window shut, showed order number and a form of ID. They opened the boot and put them in there.
This is going to be a top voter very soon!
Would be right up there if it was free for anyone and delivered.
Anyone know if I'm going to have to sit in a massive line to collect these?
2 hours wait this morning at Orchard Road
Get out of the car and walk in. Ez.
Are you talking about the Auckland CBD?
Only thing is that if you're not symptomatic you'll essentially be putting yourself into close contact with infected, albeit masked, people
jeez…cant imagine, will be worse than KFC after lockdown
So does this make it any faster than going straight to the test centre?
Looks like there are only three collection sites in central Auckland. Does this request method now mean the drive through rat collections all need to be preordered? What are the lines like?
More are to open up.
I collected mine from Balmoral. Minimal queue, was in and out in five minutes. You give your order number and show some ID and they hand over the tests
That sounds great, I was afraid of the several-hour long lines in the news with cars backed up for km's. What happened to them? How many did you collect, was it today?
I don't know what happened to the queues, it may be time dependent. I went around 4pm today and they weren't showing any signs of closing. I agree with what you've said about the times though, a 7pm close would be more ideal.
I was given two 5-packs
@Bill: I entered the amount of people in my household into the order form (3), but the person serving didn't actually reference any database, they just wrote down my details and handed over the boxes. 10 is more than enough so I didn't query her.
@Plug: They must not keep track if an order is collected then? Nowhere in the text message or form does it say ID has to be provided, what did they write down?
@F armer: That's generous, which collection centre was that? Seems that some work differently from others.
@Bill: northwest auckland. had a colleague who went to a chemist that was listed as a collection point and they told him he needs to pay for them, like WTF????
@F armer: I don't think the chemist was a collection point, maybe a testing site instead. Needs to be an unvaccinated traveller or in-person court attendee to get a free test. Otherwise, the chemist has retail tests.
@Bill: he said he found the chemist as one of the collection points after following the link that gets sent via text. hes an old chap so maybe he got it wrong dunno
@F armer: Not his fault, he was genuinely given incorrect information
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127957951/people-incorrectl…
@F armer: Damn, sounds like I got ripped off. I already have the Chemist Warehouse ones though, so am not exactly short on them.
@Plug: My person took down my order number, entered it in their tablet, asked if my name was ***, I confirmed and gave me 3x boxes of five (I entered four family members in household).
It's annoying that all the collection sites close at 4pm, a lot of people aren't going to be able to get off work that early.
To be fair, anyone symptomatic probably shouldn't be at work anyway at least if they haven't tested negative. https://covid19.govt.nz/prepare-and-stay-safe/about-covid-19… But true, the person with symptoms may not be the person collecting and there's no requirement to self isolate if you're a household contact of someone with symptoms who hasn't tested positive.
Some people work from home.
How is this going to prevent every numpty and his dog from queuing up without filling in this form? Sure they may be sent away, but in the interim they are just going to clog up the queues and make the experience a timely and frustrating one for people who have an "order code"
Hopefully they will have a priority system in place but I don't think they can require you to pre-order to get a test. Not everyone has access to the internet or is able to call Healthline so there always has to be something in place for them.
Registered and picked up within 5 minutes at the collection point near my place.
3 tests per person per household, they'll check your collection order number and ID.
Can anyone share a link for RATs Community Collection Site in Canterbury? Im having a hard time to locate any eg in Christchurch Ashburton Timaru…TIA
I clicked the link in the description and found: Orchard Road COVID-19 Testing Centre, 174 Orchard Road, Harewood, Christchurch (near Airport)
Thanks Wakrak, seem like that the only 1 really in Christchurch, think I will have to travel to Christchurch at the weekend to collect it.
watch them show up on FB marketplace.. trade me.
PS5 and RAT test.
a pharmacy down in lower hutt was selling a 5 pack $74.99 vs others selling as low as $31.99 lmfao
PS5 oh well, but resell free RAT on FB/ Trademe, thats sick, sellers like that should be reported
I somewhat doubt Trademe will allow much resale of RATs at an inflated price or at least not for long. If there are enough to cause concern the media will pick up on the story and Trademe will kill it. Ironically they might have a lower cutoff than some other stores. FB Marketplace maybe since AFAIK that's very poorly controlled e.g. a place to sell stolen items.
Trademe's prices are based on bids so how are they going to stop inflated prices if people are bidding them up to those prices
@Bill: A large number of TradeMe items are sold by buy now, especially for items like this where you generally want it quickly rather than wait and hope. Who wants to to wait even one day on the chance you'll be snipped at the end? And of course bid prices depend somewhat on initial listing prices and available buy now prices as well as the general market.
It's not like this is new for TradeMe they did similar stuff with disinfectant and masks early on https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/03/trade-me-… and as things are looking RAT tests are probably going to be in less short supply than early days of the pandemic in NZ.
Considering literally anyone can get RATs for free via this link, and the collection system will keep expanding as more sites are brought online, the public will be swamped with free tests.
Yep, and we also have large retailers selling them at cost, which could force prices down elsewhere. The chance to profit off of these is going to drop each day
Thanks, ordered and will try to pick up tomorrow
Went smoothly. Got 2 boxes of five, for three people household.
I only got 1 pack for 3 people, some places must be rationing
They are not even checking orders here. Just asking name DOB and number of people in house.
They looked up my order number in their database, confirmed my name and gave me the boxes from there
Guys, I was obviously joking about this hahahaha
I guessed so haha
Just went to Orchard Road (CHCH) and the line was is backed up for a couple of kms so I gave up. I see they have added a collection point in Rangiora, so might be worth the drive out there.
Same here. I was thinking that I might try again later or see if they add some more collection points.
Yeah I do see they have just added a Wigram Collection site that's hopefully less busy
Was earlier today, I guess as time goes on that will change though.
Took me 2 hours, didn't even ask for a code. Maybe it'll matter when there's collection only points.
I randomly saw on Trade Me jobs they're hiring people to drive and staff test collection buses in Wellington in the short term
Anyone have tried to collect at Auckland CBD collection point (The Cloud) today?
walked in saturday afternoon, very simple & no queue
how many did you get?
2 person household 2x3. 6 total
@Bill: I got the usual 5pack orient gene box, plus an extra box with 1 test in it. Panbio branding as listed on this covid page https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-…
Missed my window yesterday to get out and collect them. Went to Founders Theatre site in Hamilton today at about 11:00 and there was a large but well managed and reasonably steadily moving queue of cars. Took about 45 minutes to get to the collection point and had my preorder in hand within two minutes thereafter.
Has anyone seen/heard of their local Pak n Save or New World having any available to purchase yet?
None in my local Pak N Save today
New world Ilam has them
Northlands mall has a kiosk selling masks and RATs
I went there this noon around 12:30. Took me 1 hour. But I think it should be faster in the afternoon cause couple of staff came back from lunch when I left with my kits.
Went to Balmoral, Auckland today - joined the queue at 2.34pm and was out by 2.56pm. They just handover 2 packs with an informational A4 paper (test, isolation and support) without any questions or taking down the order number. They had a separate queue for walk-ins on the side.
You must have got lucky. I drove there today around 3:30pm and the line was backed up down rocklands ave then down Matipo street and 3/4 the way back down Halston road… I quickly did a U turn and left. Would have been there hours.
I started at 12 Halston Rd, i too wanted to not join however the queue was moving at steady pace and was out quickly. Overall very good management by the guys on a sunny day.
Went back today and there was next to no line. They are giving one test per household member.
I started there too today at 12:37, was out after nearly an hour. They aren't allowed to give more than 10. Would recommend if you are going to park and wait in the walk-in line, will be much faster.
Thankyou have upvoted
It seems like the lines are a lot better towards the end of the days, FYI.
The person who actually gave me the boxes used sign language to say not to open my driver window and press my phone with order number on the screen up against the window, then signalled to open the read window so she could throw them in! She looked super super cautious as she threw them in super fast and wooshed back to her spot.
Haha, can't imagine the stress working in these facilities dealing with all the people now with so many cases around, good on them.
Took about 40min, got given 1 box of 5 for a household of 5, hardly seems like enough :/
EDIT: Location: Porirua
Did they ask how many in the family were symptomatic? They only give enough for the symptomatic people to do 2 tests. If you said 3 people were symptomatic they should've given you 2 boxes.
Yeah that's what I told them.
Upperhutt also rationing them out to 1 box unless >5 people in household
I got given 4, one for each adult in the house in Palmerston North
In Wainuiomata the code almost didn't work - my dad almost got turned away because he wasn't a household contact and the code system isn't working. He was getting them for my brother, who tested positive immediately.
Upper hutt just made note of the code to keep queue flowing. No checks
Just collected 2 x kits from Auckland Airport. Spent more time driving around cones then actually talking with the people there.
Very few locations in Christchurch…