For some people with disability, getting to a COVID-19 testing clinic is easier said than done. Here's what we know on the use of home, call-to-test or self-testing kits.
People with disability are more likely to be "transport disadvantaged". They may not have access to a private vehicle or may not be able to leave their home due to mobility issues. COVID-19 testing sites may not be inclusive of needs. Not to mention the blow-out in queues in January 2022. This can make getting tested for COVID-19 tricky because when getting tested, you are required to completely self-isolate until your results come back. This means not accessing community spaces including public transport. Some group care facilities have had mobile testing units sent to test on-site, here we explain home testing. We al so talk about RAT testing.
Quick links
Can I get a test at home | Rapid Antigen Tests | Do I need to be tested ?|Read more on testing for people with a disability.
What are the symptoms?
Basically, any cold or flu symptoms could be related to COVID-19. The most common symptoms are:
- fever
- dry cough
- tiredness
- sore throat
- loss of smell
- loss of taste
- shortness of breath
If you need help identifying these symptoms, try the HealthDirect Coronvirus COVID-19 Symptom Checker or call 1800 022 222 24 hours a day.
Can I get a home testing kit or tested at home?
Home PCR
At the moment, home testing PCR kits are available in some metropolitan areas, which we share below. Please note that we are updating this information as things change, and at the moment they are changing all the time, so do check back.
Victoria
Call-to-Test
If you are unable to leave your home and require a test, you can call the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 and select option 5 then option 5 again to find out if you are eligible for this service.
The Call-to-Test service is for people who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms and cannot leave home due to injury, mobility or other eligible reasons.
The Call-to-Test service is for people who have COVID-19 symptoms and meet the following criteria:
- people with an injury, chronic health issue, or frailty affecting mobility
- people with moderate to severe physical or psychosocial disability
- people with moderate to severe mental health or behavioural issues not otherwise classified as a psychosocial disability
- carers for a person with moderate to severe disability
You must be over five years of age to access this service.
Close contacts without symptoms can use the Call-to-Test service if they have been told by the Department of Health to get tested and meet any of the criteria listed above.
You will need a General Practitioner (GP) referral for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test to access the service unless you have been directed by DHHS to get a test, as well as demonstrate you are not able to access existing testing sites through family or community supports. The operator on the phone will support you through the process.
Go to Call-to-Test - Victorian Department of Health and Human Services for more information.
Easy English
Victoria Get a Test at Home [Word]Call-To-Test-Service [DOCX]Results
If you have been waiting for your results for more than 3 days, call the dedicated Coronavirus Test Results Hotline on 1800 573 222 from Monday to Friday between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm. Some tests are taking up to 8 days in January 2022.
Regardless of whether your symptoms persist, you must remain in self-isolation at home until you find out your test result.
Sydney
Histopath is working with COVID Test Sydney to deliver and collect home testing kits in the greater Sydney metropolitan area and may be able to help with home tests in the Sydney region.
Go to covidtestsydney.com.au or histopath.com.au for more information. Note that services may be temporarily unavailable in times of high demand.
Newcastle
For chronically ill Newcastle and surrounding residents, or those without access to vehicles, you will require a GP referral to 4cyte pathology. The referral must state that "Home Visit required" 4cyte can then contact you for a weekday home visit time.
NSW
If you are unable to go to a testing clinic
If you need a COVID-19 test and can't go to a testing clinic, contact your GP to discuss if they can arrange home testing.
If your GP is unable to arrange COVID-19 home testing, your local health district may be able to assist you. This service may be limited to people who cannot leave their home due to disability, injury, chronic health issues, or frailty affecting mobility.
For further information contact your local health district below, or public health unit on 1300 066 055.
Contact numbers for home testing
| Local health district | Contact number |
|---|---|
| Central Coast | 1300 725 565 |
| Far West | (08) 8080 1329 |
| Hunter New England | 1300 066 055 |
| Illawarra Shoalhaven | 1300 792 755 (option 2 on prompt system) |
| Mid North Coast | 1300 001 956 |
| Murrumbidgee | 1800 654 324 |
| Nepean Blue Mountains | (02) 4734 2826 |
| Northern NSW | (02) 6629 4157 |
| Northern Sydney | 0438 613 273 |
| South Eastern Sydney | (02) 9382 8333 |
| South Western Sydney | (02) 9794 0855 |
| Southern NSW | 1800 318 248 |
| Western NSW | 1300 066 055 |
| Western Sydney | 1800 84 34 34 |
Adelaide
SA Pathology is providing a metro based Adelaide Domiciliary Service which is staffed by nurses for the collection of potential COVID-19 specimens within a persons’ home.
They also offer a regional COVID-19 domiciliary service to residential homes and RACF within a 30-minute radius of a regional pathology laboratory and select patient centres.
Criteria for a domiciliary visit follows current guidelines, including:
• Fever
• Respiratory symptoms of any type
• Inability to attend a drive-through or walk-in assessment clinic
• Any direction from Communicable Disease Control Branch (CDCB).
Home testing supports GPs who may not be able to perform the test in their own clinic.
Patients need a referral from their GP to access home testing services.
For more information view the service links below.
- SA Pathology Domiciliary Service
- Clinpath mobile service for COVID-19 testing and Mobile Service and Aged Care.
Other States and Territories
IDEAS is not currently aware of options for home testing in other places. If you would like us to find out more for you please call the Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787.
Rapid Antigen Tests
A Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) is a test you can do yourself at home. It is not as accurate as a PCR test but can detect certain proteins which may be present in the case of COVID-19. If you have a positive (or “non-negative”) RAT result, you should immediately get a PCR test and isolate while you wait for the PCR result. Taking a RAT over a number of days should give you a more accurate result than one standalone RAT. Read more about How to Take a Rapid Antigen Test.
Do I need to be tested?
Some changes have been brought in in January 2022.
Due to the large demand on testing around most of Australia, there have been some changes made to testing requirements
- If you are a close contact and symptomatic, you still present at a testing centre as we have for the last two years. There will be RAT available at them (for free) as well as PCR tests, to ease pressure on labs. You are urged not to go to a testing centre for 'casual' testing.
- You no longer any need to get a PCR if you have a positive RAT. Testing requirements were also scrapped in some instances, like weekly tests for truck drivers, before entering a hospital to receive treatment, second test requirement for international guests.
The requirement to get tested will be the same for people who have symptoms or who are a confirmed close contact (new definition from last week: someone who you have been in a 'household-like' setting for more than four hours). They will still present to a testing centre as usual.
"If you are not a close contact, if you are not symptomatic, you do not need to get a test," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
If your local health authorities inform you you're a close contact you should still have a PCR test.
