COVID-19 Testing
If you’ve been advised that you need further assessment and testing for COVID-19, you will need to go to a Community Based Assessment Centre (CBAC) or a COVID Clinic close to you.
When you arrive, you will find that a nurse will be dressed in full protective clothing.
It’s important that you aren’t scared by this as their help, and their safety, is also necessary during their important mahi.
What happens during assessment and testing:
- You will first be looked at by nurse.
- You will be tested for COVID-19 if you have any specific symptoms of COVID-19.
- A nurse will swab your throat and the inside of your nose. The swab will be taken to a lab for testing.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- A cough.
- Fever.
- Shortness of breath.
If you don’t have the specific symptoms of COVID-19 you may not be tested.
If you are tested but you aren’t feeling very sick, you will be sent home and instructed to isolate yourself until your test results are known.
If you are very ill, you may be referred to the hospital.
Depending on where you live, the way Community Based Assessment Clinics (CBAC) and COVID Clinics receive unwell people will be different.
For example, in Waikato, whānau have to be referred to a CBAC by their doctor, but in Otago they don’t.
