The Bay of Plenty District Health Board has set up an additional community-based testing centre at the Trustpower Baypark stadium on Truman Lane.

This comes amid an increase in testing demand after it emerged two people from Tauranga are close contacts of the person from Sydney, who has tested positive for Covid-19, who visited Wellington last weekend.

The MOH confirm that both cases are isolating and returned negative Covid-19 test results yesterday.

The new testing centre in Tauranga is open from 9am to 5pm, today and tomorrow. An update on opening hours for the weekend will be made later today.

“Our Baypark testing centre is for Covid-19 tests only, people won’t be assessed by a doctor onsite,” says BOPDHB Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson.

“No booking is required but there is likely to be a wait.”

If you are feeling unwell, or think you may have Covid-19 symptoms, BOPDHB advise that you call Healthline on 0800 358 5453, or your doctor.

“If you weren’t at a location of interest in Wellington over the weekend, or, you do not have symptoms, you’re unlikely to need a test,” says Trevor.

Advice on the Ministry of Health website states: “If you don’t have symptoms, you should only get a test if directed to by a health official – for example, if you work at the border, ports or in a managed isolation or quarantine facility, or are a close contact of a confirmed case.”

The BOPDHB state there has already been an increase in demand for Covid-19 testing in Tauranga since yesterday.

“It is critically important we are testing those who are most at risk from Covid-19 first, which includes people who visited Wellington last weekend,” says Trevor.

Other testing sites across the Bay of Plenty are listed on the Healthpoint website here.

The BOPDHB state that the regional Covid-19 vaccine programme has not been affected, and appointments will continue as scheduled.

Source: SunLive