Information on the Rapid Antigen Testing – Concessional Access Programme in Lane Cove

The Australian government has introduced a temporary Rapid Antigen Test Concessional Access programme. The programme started on 24 January 2022 and ends on 30 April 2022.

If you have a valid, eligible Commonwealth concession card, you can access up to 10 rapid antigen tests through participating community pharmacies, at no cost to you. You can access a maximum of 10 rapid antigen tests over the three-month period, but no more than 5 tests in any month.

The Australian Government and state and territory governments are jointly funding this program to provide rapid antigen tests to eligible people at no cost.

Am I Eligible?

If you have a valid Commonwealth concession card from the list below, you are eligible to receive up to 10 rapid antigen tests, over 3 months, at no cost to you from a participating community pharmacy:

• Pensioner Concession card;
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Care card;
• Health Care Card (including Low Income Health Care card); or
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or Orange cards.

How Do I Obtain the Free RATS?

You do not have to register to gain access to the programme.

If you’re eligible, you will need to go to a participating community pharmacy in person to claim your tests or have a guardian/carer attend to collect them on your behalf.

A valid Commonwealth concession card will need to be shown to the pharmacy. You will also need to agree to the pharmacy recording your concession card details into their system for supply, compliance, and pharmacy reimbursement purposes.

The pharmacy will then check and confirm if you’ve received any rapid antigen tests through the programme, and what allocation you have remaining.

If you are confirmed as an eligible person by the participating pharmacy, with a remaining allocation available, you may be supplied with a minimum of two tests.

The pharmacy will record the supply details into their system of how many rapid antigen tests you received.

You may ask for your monthly test allocation limit as a single supply, if required. The decision to provide this will be at the discretion of the pharmacy, and dependent on whether the pharmacy has enough tests available. If you have already received the maximum number of tests you’re entitled to, your pharmacy will let you know.

For the purposes of this programme, the following time periods apply:

First month 24 January 2022 to 28 February 2022

Second month 1 March 2022 to 31 March 2022

Third month 1 April 2022 to 30 April 2022

You will only be able to access a maximum of 5 tests in any month of the programme, as outlined above, until you have reached the maximum number of tests available under the program.

The tests you receive under this program will be at no charge to you.

Where in Lane Cove Will I Be Able to Obtain RATs Under the Programme?

The Government is not providing RATs to the pharmacies.  It’s up to the individual pharmacies to obtain their own supply.   Information obtained by ITC indicates that not all Lane Cove pharmacies are ready to supply in accordance with the programme terms as they do not have stock.  Information obtained 28 January 2022.

Lane Cove Advantage Pharmacy – will only be offering concessional RATS every Wednesday and Friday.  They envisage they will have stock on 31st January 2022.

Lane Cove Chemist Warehouse – have RATs and a sign on the door (see our cover photo) asking people to go to the dispensary to obtain concessional RATS.

Lane Cove Priceline – they have a small stock of RATs available at the dispensary for the concessional scheme

Gavin Starr Pharmacy – are expecting stock week commencing 31 January 2022

Riverview Pharmacy – have RATs for concessional programme

Lane Cove Village Pharmacy –  are expecting stock week commencing 31 January 2022

We will endeavour to contact the other local pharmacies to ascertain if they have RATs for the concession programme.

Our cover photo is the sign at Lane Cove Chemist Warehouse indicating they are part of the concessional RATs programme.

What If I Test Positive?

You must register your positive test with Service NSW or face a $1000 fine.

The positive test can be registered in three ways:

Via the Service NSW app (the same app you use to scan a QR code)

Via the Service NSW website – click here to register

Call Service NSW on 13 77 88

You do not need to register if you’ve had:

• a negative or invalid rapid antigen test result
• a positive PCR test in the 28 days before your positive rapid antigen test.

Note: If you develop severe chest pain, fainting episodes or severe difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000) straight away and tell the ambulance staff that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

What If I Have Symptoms?

Stay COVIDsafe – If you have symptoms of COVID-19, don’t go to a pharmacy to collect a rapid antigen test, instead, you should obtain a PCR Test.

It’s important that you monitor for symptoms carefully and get a PCR test if you are at higher risk of health complications, including if you are:

• Pregnant
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• unvaccinated
• aged over 65
• have complex health needs such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, neurodevelopmental issues or are immunocompromised
• Work in high-risk settings such as healthcare, aged care, disability care, education, early childhood education care or correctional facilities.
• asked by a registered medical practitioner

Details on the PCR testing centres closest to Lane Cove here.