Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns

COVID-19 Testing advice

The COVID-19 Testing Plan and guidance documents have been removed from this website. Recommended COVID-19 testing advice is now located in the COVID-19 Chapter of the Communicable Disease Control Manual. Below is a summary of the updated recommended COVID-19 testing advice from 4 March 2024

 The recommended COVID-19 testing advice is a key tool to help New Zealand with the ongoing management of COVID-19 and it provides the framework to support decisions about when and who to test for COVID-19.  

 

The recommended COVID-19 testing advice will ensure the continued: 

  • Use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) by the public to enable self-management. 
  • Use of RATs for those people who are symptomatic, especially those at greatest risk of severe illness, and to enable patient and outbreak management in high-risk facilities, and  
  • Use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing if a result can influence treatment options. 

Symptomology 

Target Group 

Recommended Testing Advice 

Symptomatic people 

 

(includes symptomatic household contacts AND recovered cases if it is more than 29 days since the previous infection)   

  

General population  

 

  

If sick stay at home, and test using a COVID-19 RAT if you have one available. 

If RAT is negative, and COVID-19 symptoms persist, stay at home and repeat RAT in 24 and 48 hours*. 

 

  

 Those that meet the Pharmac anti-viral access criteria  

 

If sick stay at home and test using a COVID-19 RAT. 

If RAT is negative, and COVID-19 symptoms persist, stay at home and repeat RAT in 24 and 48 hours**and consider a 

PCR test where a result can influence treatment options. 

 

 High risk facilities/settings**** 

  

 

Test using a RAT.  

If RAT is negative, and COVID-19 symptoms persist, repeat RAT in 24 and 48 hours**and consider a  

PCR test where a result can influence treatment options***.  

(for hospitalised positive PCR cases, refer samples for WGS)  

 

 

* If RAT is still negative after 24 and 48 hours and symptoms are getting worse or you are concerned, contact a healthcare provider or phone Healthline. If symptoms have resolved, or are mild or improving, you do not need to stay home. 

 

** If RAT is still negative after 24 and 48 hours, healthcare providers should consider if further testing is required or an alternate diagnosis. 

 

*** If PCR - recommend keeping isolated from other residents/patients whilst awaiting test results. 

 

****High risk settings/facilities include aged residential care and hospitals as these types of settings/facilities include groups of people who have frequent, close, or extended contact with others who have the potential for greater exposure to SARS-CoV-2.