The Australian government is providing COVID-19 rapid antigen testing (RAT) to residential aged care facilities in Greater Sydney, to further protect aged care residents, workers and their families.

The program has begun on 16 August at the Uniting Bankstown Aged Care Facility, and then progressively roll out to other facilities who expressed their interest in participating.

Respond Global has been selected to lead the program, providing the residential aged care facilities with training and protocols in using the tests and recording the RAT results.

Roche will supply the initial RAT, after being selected through a competitive tender process. It is anticipated that as the program expands, three more RAT suppliers will also supply their tests for use. 

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the program will allow fast COVID-19 screening of aged care residents and visitors to be done on-site and more regularly.

“Given the rate at which we know the Delta variant can be spread between people, the very fast turnaround of RAT - around 15 minutes - makes these tests useful in preventing asymptomatic transmission and outbreaks as they can be used on a daily basis,” Hunt said.