Following Premier Steven Marshall’s approval for South Australians to purchase and use Rapid Antigen Tests in SA, supermarkets, petrol stations, chemists and other stores have rushed to stock the tests, with many still awaiting orders to arrive.
Screening using Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) can help to identify people who have COVID-19. Not all RATs have the same sensitivity, so we’ve included a chart below so you can view the various Australian-approved options.
The test involves taking a nasal swab (using a small cotton bud) that is placed into a chemical solution. A result takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Anyone who returns a positive RAT is required to take a PCR test to confirm diagnosis.
The Chief Public Health Officer has determined that the number of cases now in South Australia makes rapid antigen testing a useful additional public health tool.
Rapid antigen tests have been used internationally and in some Australian industries as a workplace surveillance tool to screen people who do not have symptoms for COVID-19. By using rapid antigen testing in this way, workplaces may detect COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals and prevent exposure in the workplace.
Rapid antigen tests are a screening tool only and not for diagnosing COVID-19. Anyone feeling unwell, especially with respiratory symptoms, is advised to get a regular PCR test at a testing site.
A negative rapid antigen test result does not necessarily mean that you don’t have COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests may miss the virus that causes COVID-19, particularly early and late in infection when virus levels are lower, resulting in a ‘false negative ‘or a ‘false positive’.
All positive rapid antigen tests need to be confirmed with a diagnostic COVID-19 PCR test and everyone who uses a RAT will be asked to fill out a surveillance form to provide ongoing information to SA Health.
If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, please seek PCR testing as soon as possible.
Find your nearest testing site at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVIDtesting.
More information is available at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVIDcontacttracing.
For more information visit https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/ or call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787.
Where to buy Rapid Antigen Tests in Adelaide and South Australia
The following list are venues that have, or will be getting, Rapid Antigen Tests for sale. Please check with each individual venue first, to ensure they’re in stock as many are waiting for stock to arrive after the public holidays. The tests generally cost between $5-$35 each.
- Officeworks (mid-Jan stock arriving)
- Foodland stores
- Priceline
- Chemist Warehouse
- Coles
- Woolworths
- NQR grocery….92 Churchill road Prospect
- Drakes
- Blooms chemist – you can order online
- Diamond Skin and Body Clinic in Parkside
- TerryWhite Chemmart Marion Compounding
- AusHealth ONLY ONLINE PURCHASE, pick up or post out. Pick up location 65 Hardys Rd Underdale
- Crafers BP petrol station
- National pharmacies have posted on their Facebook page expecting stock from the 31st
- Midnight Chemist – Frome street, Adelaide from the end of this week.
If you know of any other locations, please send details through to [email protected] and we’ll update our list.
The 15 Australian-approved Rapid Antigen Tests
The TGA has approved the following COVID-19 self-tests (home use tests) for supply in Australia from 1 November 2021.
Please refer to the instructions on how to use each test (that are provided in the table below) for further information on what sample types the test can be used with (e.g. nasal swab or saliva).
Name of self-test* and how to use the test Specimen type | Australian Sponsor (supplier) | Manufacturer | ARTG | Clinical Sensitivity | Date Approved |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All Test COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test (Oral Fluid) Self-Test (ICOV-802H) (pdf,366kb) Oral fluid | AM Diagnostics | Hangzhou Alltest Biotech Co Ltd (China) | 376310 | High sensitivity | 13 October 2021 |
All Test SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Nasal Swab) (ICOV-502H) Self-Test (pdf,649kb) Nasal swab | AM Diagnostics | Hangzhou Alltest Biotech Co Ltd (China) | 376310 | Very high sensitivity | 13 October 2021 |
CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test (pdf,6.17Mb) Nasal swab | Pantonic Pty Ltd | Access Bio Inc (United States of America) | 342512 | Acceptable sensitivity | 21 October 2021 |
Ecotest COVID-19 Antigen Saliva Test kit (COV-S35Pen) (pdf,447kb) Saliva | Emergence Technology Pty Ltd | Assure Tech (Hangzhou) Co Ltd (China) | 372335 | Acceptable sensitivity | 22 October 2021 |
Hough COVID-19 Home Test (pdf,3.48Mb) Nasal swab | Hough Pharma Pty Ltd | BIOHIT HealthCare (Hefei) Co Ltd (China) | 345031 | High sensitivity | 18 October 2021 |
InnoScreen COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Device (Self Test) (pdf,1.15Mb) Nasal swab | Innovation Scientific Pty Ltd | Innovation Scientific Pty Ltd (Australia) | 336146 | Acceptable sensitivity | 28 October 2021 |
LYHER Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Antigen Test Kit (colloidal Gold) Self-Test (pdf,348kb) Nasal swab | 2San Pty Ltd | Hangzhou Laihe Biotech Co Ltd (China) | 374507 | Very high sensitivity | 27 October 2021 |
My Covid Test Antigen Rapid Test (Oral Fluid) (ICOV-802H) Self-Test (pdf,366kb) Oral fluid | AM Diagnostics | Hangzhou Alltest Biotech Co Ltd China | 376310 | High sensitivity | 13 October 2021 |
OnSite COVID-19 Ag Self Test (pdf,2.22Mb) Nasal swab | MD Solutions Australasia Pty Ltd | CTK Biotech Inc (USA) | 332961 | Very high sensitivity | 3 November 2021 |
Orawell COVID-19 Ag Rapid saliva test device (Self-test) (pdf,1.68Mb) Saliva | Motion One Pty Ltd | Jiangsu Well Biotech Co Ltd (China) | 377136 | High sensitivity | 29 October 2021 |
Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test (pdf,886kb) Nasal swab | Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Pty Ltd | Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH (Germany) | 345192 | Very high sensitivity | 26 October 2021 |
RightSign COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Cassette (Nasal Swab) (pdf,1.06Mb) Nasal swab | Medsupply Australia Pty Ltd | Hangzhou Biotest Biotech Co Ltd (China) | 333344 | High sensitivity | 15 October 2021 |
SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Self Test Nasal (pdf,722kb) Nasal swab | Roche Diagnostics Australia Pty Limited | SD Biosensor Inc (Korea – Republic of) | 352250 | Acceptable sensitivity | 15 October 2021 |
TESTSEALABS COVID-19 Antigen Test Cassette (pdf,9.04Mb) Nasal swab | Pharma Soul Pty Ltd | Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology Co Ltd (China) | 373151 | High sensitivity | 18 November 2021 |
V-Chek COVID-19 Antigen Saliva Test (pdf,5.27Mb) Saliva | Cole Workwear PL | Guangzhou Decheng Biotechnology Co Ltd (China) | 374065 | Very high sensitivity | 17 November 2021 |
Fore more information on Rapid Antigen Testing in South Australia, visit the SA Health website here.
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