Like many things throughout the pandemic, the definitions and requirements around testing and isolation has changed. So, to help you navigate through all the info, we’ve got a quick breakdown of everything you need to know around when, where and why you should get tested for Covid-19 for our families in the Hume and Moreland LGAs.

When should I get tested?

If you are feeling unwell and have any of the following symptoms: fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and loos or change in sense of smell or taste.

You should also get tested if:

• You are a household or household-like contact (meaning you have spent more than 4 hours with someone who has Covid-19 inside a house, accommodation or care facility)
• Someone who has Covid-19 has informed you that you are their social contact, or a workplace or education facility has informed you that you are a workplace or education contact
• have been contacted by the Department of Health as part of an outbreak investigation
• have visited a high-risk interstate location
• are a returned international traveller
• are due to have surgery or a planned hospital stay
• are part of a targeted testing program across an industry or group

More info available here.

What kind of contact am I?

Positive Case

If you’ve tested positive you are considered a confirmed case and need to isolate for 7 days after the date you took the test which confirmed you had Covid-19.

Don’t get another test If you have already tested positive, you don’t need to get tested again and are automatically released from quarantine after 7 days.

Household or household-like contact

You have spent more than four (4) hours with someone who has Covid-19 inside a house, accommodation or care facility. If this is you, you must:

• Quarantine for 7 days
• Get tested on Day 1 (or as soon as possible) and again on Day 6 with a RAT (or PCR if you can’t access a RAT).
• If you test positive – you must report your result.

All other contacts

If someone who has Covid-19 informs you that you are their social contact.

A workplace or education facility has informed you that you are a workplace or education contact.

• If you have symptoms, you must use a RAT (or get a PCR test if you can’t access a RAT).
• If you don’t have any symptoms, it’s recommended you do daily rapid antigen tests for 5 days.
• If you don’t have symptoms and cannot access a RAT then monitor for symptoms and get tested if they symptoms start coming on.

More info available here.

Where to get tested in the north?

From January 2022, the testing requirements in Victoria have changed. If you have symptoms or you are a contact, your first testing option should be to use a rapid antigen test (RAT/RATest).

If you have symptoms or you are a contact, and can’t access a rapid antigen test, you should get a PCR test. If you can’t access either test at the moment, isolate at home until you can.

If you need to find a PCR testing site near you in the Hume and Moreland LGAs – check out the list below. This information is correct as of 11 January 2022.

Suburb	Address	Type of test site	Operating times
Broadmeadows	Hume City Council 24 Pearcedale Parade, Broadmeadows, VIC, 3047	Drive Through	9am -  8pm
Coburg	4Cyte Pathology – Coburg, 19 Harding Street, Coburg, VIC, 3058	Walk-in	8am - 6pm
Collaroo	HomeCo. 1550 Pascoe Vale Road, Coolaroo, VIC, 3048	Drive Through	7am – 7pm
Collaroo	Coolaroo Respiratory Clinic, 512 Barry Road, Coolaroo, VIC, 3048	Walk-in	3pm – 4pm
Dallas	Dallas Shopping Centre Carpark, 113-125 Blair Street, Dallas, VIC, 3047	Drive Through	7am – 7pm
Glenroy	Glenroy Hall, 5 Cromwell Street, Glenroy, VIC, 3046	Walk in	7am – 7pm
Sunbury	Western Health - Sunbury COVID-19 Testing Clinic, 29 Timins Street, Sunbury, VIC, 3429	Walk in	10am – 5.30pm
Tullamarine	Mickleham Road Tullamarine, 157 Mickleham Road, Tullamarine, VIC, 3043	Drive Through	7am – 7pm

For a full list of up-to-date testing locations, please visit the Coronavirus Victoria website.

What happens if my test comes back positive?

• If you took a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) you will need to report your result via this online form or by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 (it’s actually the law!)
• After you report your result, you’ll get a few text messages from the Department of Health, but you must:
• Immediately isolate for 7 days from the day you took the rapid antigen test.
  • Follow this Checklist for Covid Cases and let the people who you’ve been around that you have Covid-19.
    • Your household and household-like contacts must isolate for 7 days and take regular tests
    • Your social contacts (and others) must get tested if they have symptoms.
    • Also – don’t forget to tell work and school/TAFE/uni/education facilities if you’ve been onsite.
• If your PCR test comes back with a positive result basically you do all of the above, except you don’t need to report your result – it’s already recorded because of how PCR tests are done.
• While you are in isolation:
  • You can’t leave the house for any reason except to get tested, get medical supplies or in an emergency (including family violence, fire or flood).
  • Isolate away from other people in your household as much as possible to reduce the risk of them getting Covid-19.
  • If you are worried about losing those hard-earned dollars from work – you might be eligible for the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment.
  • There’s also a whole heap of other financial and other supports that may be available to you for things like food, rent and utilities support and relief.
• Don’t get another test if you have already tested positive – you don’t need it. You are automatically released after 7 days.

More info available here.

What happens if my test comes back negative?

• If you test negative, your doctor or the clinic where you were tested will tell you your result. If you took a RAT, you should continue to monitor for symptoms.
• If you are a household or household-like contact you will still need to isolate for 7 days and do a test again on Day 6. If the Day 6 test comes back as positive, you will need to isolate for another 7 days because you are now a positive case.
• If you are a social, workplace, education facility or other contact it is recommended that you continue to do daily RATests for 5 days and monitor for symptoms. If you don’t have symptoms and cannot access a RAT then monitor for symptoms and get tested if they symptoms start coming on.
• If an authorised officer has told you to quarantine (e.g. as a close contact, as part of an outbreak, or because you have visited an interstate high risk location), you will need to quarantine for 7 or 14 days depending on your vaccination status.

More info available here.

Other helpful links

• Taking the test: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/taking-test-covid-19 
• Test & Isolate information: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/getting-tested
• Managing Covid-19 at Home: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/managing-covid-19-home
• COVID Test Isolation Payment information: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/support
• 24/7 Coronavirus Hotline (Victoria): 1800 675 398

Information is subject to change and you should check the official Coronavirus Victoria website for current information and wait times.

The information in this article is intended to help better inform young people and the families of people accessing Youth Projects services across the Hume and Moreland LGAs. Information in this article is current as of Wednesday 12 January 2022.