Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) is preparing to work with local disability providers to distribute the Coast’s share of almost 300,000 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to be provided statewide to people with disability and their support workers.
It is not yet known how many of the tests will be allocated to the Central Coast, but a CCLHD spokesperson said the Health District would work with disability providers who would then distribute the RATs to clients and support workers.
Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Services, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, said the testing kits were a vital part of protecting people living and working in disability-funded residential settings.
“Protecting people with disability is important because they can often be at greater risk of developing more serious illness if they become infected with COVID-19,” Maclaren-Jones said.
“This distribution of testing kits underpins the NSW Government’s priority of protecting the most vulnerable members of the community while the pandemic continues to pose a risk.”
The initiative supplements the rollout of RATs to NDIS participants announced on February 4 by the Federal Government which is responsible for supporting the disability sector.
“Local Health Districts staff engage with disability service providers on a regular basis and are well placed to distribute these tests,” Maclaren-Jones said.
“This roll out will help ensure that people with disability can be supported safely at home and reduce the risk of infections spreading as well as the potential for hospital admission.”
People with disability can also purchase testing kits using their NDIS plan funding or access their free allocation from community pharmacies available for those who hold Commonwealth Health Care or Concession Cards.
Source:
Media release, Feb 6
NSW Government