![[VIC] 2 Free RAT Kits Per Person (Medicare Card Required) from Flemington & Sunshine COVID-19 Drive-through Clinics](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/51/680851.jpg?h=9ad3e2c1)
RAT kits are free at Sunshine community center and Flemington.
Bring your Medicare card, and each Medicare member will receive two kits.
[VIC] 2 Free RAT Kits Per Person (Medicare Card Required) from Flemington & Sunshine COVID-19 Drive-through Clinics
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kia07 on 02/02/2022 - 09:55 healthdirect.gov.au (1013 clicks)
Last edited 03/05/2022 - 10:40 by 1 other user
Last edited 03/05/2022 - 10:40 by 1 other user
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cough cough
flu like symptoms?
coffee tastes like tea, and curry tastes like donuts, yep free RAT for you
I'm not sure that a RAT is going to solve your problem if this is happening to you ruski.
Symptoms of low
intelli… aw, nvm. Everyone just go "Baaa!!!"
Everyone just go "Baaa!!!"
I can tell by your profile picture that's what you do…
The opposite. ;-) (Sheep wear masks and shoot up drain cleaner based on government propagated conspiracy theories and pseudoscience.)
My hungy arse read this as free KIT KAT.
Have a break
A lot of doctors won't see you if you're sick unless you've taken one of these tests first. Although you can get them free from testing centres but I'm not sure of the wait time.
But then the media wouldn't be able to blame our politicians for their failures.
When politicians fail, they need to be held to account.
go see a doctor.
I think you aren't allowed to go visit your GP if symptoms get worse; in fact it's a hefty fine in NSW to leave your home if you it's reasonable to suspect you have covid (once you have the positive RAT, you certainly can't). You can phone a GP up; but they won't offer much over the phone. You can phone the NSW Health COVID-19 Care at Home Support Line on 1800 960 933 or the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
It's more a case of "stay home and self manage" until you are too sick to continue doing so, at which point you are encouraged to then phone 000 and hope an ambulance is available to cart your body to the hospital or morgue depending on delays etc.
Care to explain? This has always been the case with highly contagious conditions right - GPs for example don't treat you for measles etc as they don't want people/staff to catch and spread it to the frail people coming to visit for a repeat over the counter script of vitamin-d right?
I'm unsure why it's got anything to do with politics - it's about a highly contagious virus that has potentially deadly outcomes right?
@1st-Amendment: GP's aren't equipped to deal with COVID at their small clinics. If a COVID positive patient goes through their clinic. They will need to close and clean.
Covid is far more contagious than the flu. Omnicron has an R0 of 10. Flu has an R0 of 1.3.
As an Ex-Australian Soldier. I can tell you that Doctors are generally NOT sent to the front line. Medics are. Doctors are kept in relative safety of the rear echelon. As for Doctors treating Ebola. Have you seen the PPE that they wear?If you have symptoms. Get tested. If you use a RAT and it's positive, report it. Do this not just for yourself but for your community, friends and family. Sticking your head in the sand won't make things better. Plenty of examples of people "riding it out" and being found dead. It can go downhill very quickly.
Having said all that. I'm just some rando on the internet. So fact check and assume everything I've said is wrong. Cause you know… This is the internet.
They will need to close and clean.
I didn't clean my house when we had covid and no-one died. Real health outcomes vs politics
Omnicron has an R0 of 10. Flu has an R0 of 1.3.
You mean Omicron? Mumps, Chickenpox, Measles, Whooping cough all have R0 values 10+. Covid v1 was about R0 of 2, Covid (delta ) was about 5 but we still had lockdowns for those.
Omicron is much more contagious but also much less harmful. I know heaps of people who've had it and they all had a similar flu like experience.As for Doctors treating Ebola. Have you seen the PPE that they wear?
So do that then. Health vs politics.
If you have symptoms. Get tested.
Why? What purpose does this serve? If we had RATs for the flu would you also demand we spend billions on distributing them too?
Do this not just for yourself but for your community, friends and family.
Most of them have had Covid so your concerns seem over exaggerated. Repeat cases are extremely low but no-one seems to want to report on that for some reason.
Sticking your head in the sand won't make things better.
Lol I'm relying an actual data here. Tell me how a unreliable test administered by unqualified people that will cost the economy billions of dollars is providing the claimed benefits. Simply obeying what some govt bureaucrat tells you do it not a path to success either.
Plenty of examples of people "riding it out" and being found dead
I never said to "ride it out" strawman, I said to follow the same path as you would for any other health event.
So fact check and assume everything I've said is wrong
I always do. Just as you should too. Accepting any advice at face value because it sounds good is a path to failure.
If you want some light reading, here is some interesting research that goes against the narrative:
https://sites.krieger.jhu.edu/iae/files/2022/01/A-Literature…The TL;DR version: "While this meta-analysis concludes that lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted. In consequence, lockdown policies are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument."
I didn't clean my house when we had covid and no-one died. Real health outcomes vs politics.
So your house is a GP clinic? Did you invite your immune compromised friends and family over? Because these are some of the people who do need to see their GPs.
You mean Omicron?
Thank you for the correction.
As for Doctors treating Ebola. Have you seen the PPE that they wear?
So do that then. Health vs politics.
Would you be willing to wear that level of PPE in your daily work?
If you have symptoms. Get tested.
Why? What purpose does this serve?
If you test positive. You self isolate. Thus, slow down the infection rate. And that gives our medical system a fighting chance.
Do this not just for yourself but for your community, friends and family.
Most of them have had Covid so your concerns seem over exaggerated. Repeat cases are extremely low but no-one seems to want to report on that for some reason.
Because your community and close contacts have been infected. The rest of Australia is now safe?
Tell me how a unreliable test administered by unqualified people that will cost the economy billions of dollars is providing the claimed benefits.
First off it should be "an unreliable test" not "a unreliable test".
Granted RATs are not as reliable as PCR tests. But is it not more convenient to be able to get a test result in 15 minutes instead of waiting 1, 2 or 3 days for a PCR test result?
As for unqualified people. I realise there are some in our community who find it hard to read instructions and/or find it hard to administer their own RATs. But I think you under estimate the ability of the average Australian.Plenty of examples of people "riding it out" and being found dead
I never said to "ride it out" strawman, I said to follow the same path as you would for any other health event.
Now there's no need for name calling. We can keep this civil. No? I do have a heart.
But your suggestion to stay at home and if things get worse go see our doctor. Well, we've established that GPs won't see you if you have COVID symptoms. Additionally, if you are ill with COVID. Your close contacts should be notified. So they can test and self isolate. For reasons discussed above. To lighten the load on the medical system. But to also keep those who are vulnerable safe. While you might not have elderly family members. Others in the community do. And the majority of them would probably like to keep those elderly family members alive for a little longer?So your house is a GP clinic?
If it works in my house, why couldn't it work in a clinic?
Did you invite your immune compromised friends and family over?
Most of them don't live under the umbrella of fear that some people seem to. A lot of people I know want to get it to get it out of the way. Similar to pre-covid, if a child got chicken pox, you'd send all the other kids around to get it then you were sorted. The logic doesn't change.
Would you be willing to wear that level of PPE in your daily work?
I do what is required for my job and if I don't like it I find another job. Medical staff confront more infectious diseases than Covid as part of their job, why is this different?
If you test positive. You self isolate. Thus, slow down the infection rate
So you don't already isolate when you feel sick? Hasn't this been standard practice for at least a century? Why do you need to an unreliable test kit to tell you whether to isolate? One person I know felt sick and tested negative. Turns out she had Covid, got a false negative and went to work which then infected 10 other people.
Relying purely on unreliable testing to decide if you should isolate is not a great strategy.But is it not more convenient to be able to get a test result in 15 minutes instead of waiting 1, 2 or 3 days for a PCR test result?
It's more convenient and much cheaper to not bother testing at all for most people. Just isolate if you feel sick works for 99% of people. And if you're the 1% then you call a doctor.
Because your community and close contacts have been infected. The rest of Australia is now safe?
Strawman. The risk for most people is much lower than the media would have you believe. Israel has the highest vaccine rates and also the highest cases and second highest deaths. Sweden has the least restrictions and now has the lowest rates in Europe. How does this real world data fit into the narrative?
But I think you under estimate the ability of the average Australian.
Average doesn't matter. You only need the bottom 10% to not follow the process and the process falls over. Can you guarantee that 100% of the population will adhere to the test regime? If not it is a complete waste of time
Now there's no need for name calling. We can keep this civil. No? I do have a heart.
A 'strawman' is a logically flawed argument, not a personal attack.
Well, we've established that GPs won't see you if you have COVID symptoms.
Because they are government restrictions due to politics, not evidence based health measures. Other developed countries do not have these same restrictions, why is that?
Additionally, if you are ill with COVID. Your close contacts should be notified. So they can test and self isolate. For reasons discussed above. To lighten the load on the medical system. But to also keep those who are vulnerable safe. While you might not have elderly family members. Others in the community do. And the majority of them would probably like to keep those elderly family members alive for a little longer?
So the question you should ask is how much difference does billions of dollars in testing (and lockdowns and vaccine and mask mandates) make?
We all have elderly family members, mine take the appropriate precautions, just like they do by not climbing ladders or running down stairs. No amount of unreliable testing changes these risks.@1st-Amendment: I started to respond. But your replies have either avoided the questions posed or lacked substance. You bring up points which have already been explained.
But you've gone from:
if it gets worse then go see a doctor.
To:
if you're the 1% then you call a doctor.
At least you seem to have acknowledged that you don't visit your doctor when you have Covid. Small victories…
@1st-Amendment: What arrogance you have to condemn all doctors and health workers to "warzones". They chose their profession to help you, not die for you or your ignorance. The rest is choice.
Even a flu, or whatever bs you want to use as an example, if you know or suspect you're contagious you shouldn't be risking spreading that to anyone else. There are isolation procedures for most cases, which you can start by phoning the clinic, you don't need to go in in the first instance. If you do, then it is a purely selfish act, no matter what laws are in place or what you want to say to excuse it.
It is in every business owner's favour to ensure the safety of their staff and customers, and themselves. A clinic is no different. Who are you to demand otherwise?
What arrogance you have to condemn all doctors and health workers to "warzones"
I didn't. Strawman much?
if you know or suspect you're contagious you shouldn't be risking spreading that to anyone else.
Yep so why does that advice change for Covid? You get sick you stay home til you feel better. That's it. For 99% of the population this works.
Who are you to demand otherwise?
I'm not the one demanding anything. The people doing the demanding are the ones with demanding masks, demanding vaccines, demanding check ins, demanding lockdowns, demanding testing etc etc. So I'll throw that question back at you, who are you to demand these things?
@1st-Amendment: Don't bother. Differences in opinion are no longer valued, just feared and hated imo.
Don't bother. Differences in opinion are no longer valued, just feared and hated imo.
Yeah I see that. So much for diversity eh? We only want diverse skin colour and sexual preferences, not diversity of thought lol :)
@1st-Amendment: Having a discussion about different opinions is a valuable freedom we have in this country. Everyone is free to have their own opinions. But once you voice those opinions. You are putting those opinions up for scrutiny. For example. I may or may not have thought you are a self obsessed troll. But since I didn't voice that opinion. There was no need for anyone to analyse it.
Worth noting also that just because you have an opinion. It doesn't mean it's right.
everything to do with politics.
What is it you want to get off your chest about covid & politics?
It really has been a great example of Maslow's Hammer. Any one who has been anti-vax or anti-government in the past continue to behave like the world isn't in a global pandemic? Crazy hey? They just can't put their hammers away. Everything is the same with them.
Any one who has been anti-vax or anti-government in the past continue to behave like…
Is that what you read in the news?
lol…
Nar it is what you see on the internet and in real life everywhere! Some of the anti COVID people are so wrapped up in it, its become their identity and they refuse to turn back now even if they want to!
@serpserpserp: Is that what you read in the news?
Nar it is what you see on the internet
Ah right, well if you saw it on the Internet it must be true…
@1st-Amendment: I said in real life too. Don't cherry pick comments and take them out of context. You'll become like Fox news!
You'll become like Fox news!
Yet you're the person who is presenting your opinion as fact…
I said in real life too. Don't cherry pick comments and take them out of context. You'll become like Fox news!
@serpserpserp Look at the positives. The bits they leave out are the bits they can't argue. Take them as small victories.
The bits they leave out are the bits they can't argue
Like how you ignored all the points in my last post lol…
I'll address the one point you did respond to:
But you've gone from 'if it gets worse then go see a doctor' to 'if you're the 1% then you call a doctor.'
They mean the same thing so it's not 'going' anywhere. Less than 1% of cases need medical attention, this really is amateur hour…
You must really like the Australian Senate, at least the Australian Constitutions' first amendment (referendum) which dealt with Senate Elections.
There are treatments coming online like Paxlovid that require it to be administered within 5d of symptom onset and you probably need a confirmed test to get it.
There are treatments coming online like Paxlovid that require it to be administered within 5d of symptom onset and you probably need a confirmed test to get it.
And you think a home administered test kit will be sufficient for a medical prescription? The biggest impact of this virus how it causes people to lose their brains…
I did not say that. I was arguing against your comment that implied that you should not get tested at all.
I did not say that.
This thread is about RAT kits. You said you'd need a test to get the new meds, how do you propose this test occurs if not the thing this thread is discussing?
we got a 6 pack for free at southbank centre no wait either straight through they just check your medicare
I got 6 pack and started drinking on the street with me mates. We got arrested.
May I know the exact place please? Not familiar with Southbank. Kids back to School, and has positive case in the class.
Your kids school would have sent the kit of 5 in their bag on first day of school. My kids go to public and private schools. They both got it.
But the test kit is only for kids not parent.
@Kuyaozb: You have no reason to test as a secondary contact. That hasn't been the governments rules for a few months now
Now I get a bit ratty!
Free doesn't someone like Santa pay for them ?
Brad Hazzard promised free RATs for NSW in December but we are still waiting:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/nsw-updates-covid-sett…They have vending machines that dispense these in other countries since Sep/Oct or so (while we were still strolling out vaccines)
Almost there
Nice thanks OP
Nothing is free. Your children and grand children will be paying for these with interest.
assets/liabilities
Guess what ? I don't have children and hopefully never will.
Maybe some boomers could sell some property and have the liability all paid off in a jiffy.
I've never been one to blame boomers too harshly for much, but in Covid they've really let themselves down. Those with more experience should have been wiser to the risks involved, instead they've pushed or lockdowns and restrictions and really shit the bed.
Strange. All the boomers I know (which is lot) most of them think it's overblown and restrictions etc shouldn't apply to them. That is until COVID directly affects them, then the are very pro lockdowns etc
@serpserpserp: The boomers i know (family) didn't change any of their habits, still put themselves and others at risk but justified it all to themselves. And all the while, were very vocal about what others should do to protect them. Everyone has diff values/morals and thi isn't only decided by the age group. I went to the shopping centre the pther day, would you believe how many older people i was walking around that had no mask on. I don't judge, as long as they're not in my space or trying to talk to me.
Paid for with taxes and debt
Nah. They'll leave Victoria as soon as they can if they're smart.
Why is it only for Medicare card holders though? Those on other visas should be allowed to get these free RATs not necessarily because they're free but because they are already quite hard to find elsewhere…
With an almost complete international border closure, it doesn't make much sense to ask for medicare, does it…
they need some form of ID so when some dodgy mo fo goes to every site and picks up 10 rats because they have 5 people on their card, they can be hunted down
I guess they'll be more available now for purchase given medicare card holders can get them free?
the government wants more international students to work for longer by extending their 20 hour / week limit condition of their visa to 40 hour / week so it's clear we are dependant on them…
However, if they are working in areas that require RATs frequently like hospitality then you really need to somehow make this easily accessible for those who are not on Medicare… it's already hard as it is for those who are on Medicare and even Health Care card…
They may not be working at the moment but maybe just living in a high density buildings, apartment towers etc… I mean, having access to these tests are important to everyone…
I mean, having access to these tests are important to everyone…
PCR lines are not long in Melbourne at the moment (relatively speaking), RATs are now being handed out, I think availability for businesses to buy for their staff requirements or for students to buy for personal use will get better.
@serpserpserp: Maybe it is already the case… My experience was based on early Jan so things could have changed a lot in a month…
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/inside-the-g…
Run by Julie Bishop’s partner, David Pantone and his two daughters.
In the end we will be paying for it in taxes
Australia is a very corrupt country. The same type who negged me for pointing out that nothing is free are blind to the people really making a killing here.
They can't be helped.
Australia also full of 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑
I wonder which MP’s little black book the woman mentioned in that article popped out of?
The banana republic we had to have.
(with apologies to Paul Keating for mixing two of his well known utterances).
Also have free RATs at the Clayton testing site in the south east. 2pp on your Medicare card if you're a close contact or have symptoms. Just don't hoard.
They have them at Deakin Burwood as well.
Deakin Burwood was pretty much empty yesterday.
Are you allowed to use RAT tests on footpaths in Victoria?
Uneven distribution of these is an issue.
I got 10 as was a "close contact " 2x each for my family of 5 at a drive through testing centre. Only used 5. Then my 3x kids got sent home with 5 pack each yesterday. I'm sitting on 20 and don't really need them all.you will need them when you have someone in your household turn positive.
we've gone through about 20 in the last week as a result of someone turning positive
Just isolate for the required period of time and no need to use any tests! :)
Would rather risk getting Covid than risk going to Sunshine.
What's wrong with Sunshine? I don't live close to there, but surely it's not that bad?
Are we comparing to Footscray? Yes, it can be that bad. I still think footscary is worse tho. Love some of the shops, hate the threating and anti social behaviours, crime, street drug deals and users and general scary people around. A few months ago I walked past a shopfront with human poop at the entrance. That was a pleasant surprise.
Nothing, the commenter is probably just racist
+1 for healthdirect
Just want to note that the Monash uni clinic 133 Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, aswell as the casey field pop up clinic 160 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East, VIC, 3977 both offer the same deal. I picked up 2 from Monash, and they were happy to give them to me even without symptoms.
thanks for the info. Was there a long queue to get it?
Nope, I only saw 1 car in front of me, and by the time I got to the traffic control worker, he was moving on.
can report a similar experience. No queue at all.
Isn't this only for people with symptoms who need to be tested?
In which case they are free at any testing hub.