Confused about your testing requirements or what the lockout means for you? We answer all your questions.

Confused about your testing requirements? Or perhaps you’re not sure what the Territory wide lockout means for you? Find out here.

In his Covid conference on Thursday Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced a Territory wide lockout.

But what does that mean for Territorians, vaccinated and unvaccinated? And what will change from Monday when the vaccine pass system is implemented?

What does the Covid lockout mean?

The Covid lockout came into effect on Thursday (from 1pm) and is currently in effect until noon on Monday.

Those who are double vaccinated can go about their lives as normal, as long as they follow the ongoing mask mandate.

However, those who are not double vaccinated aged 16 and older are effectively in a lockdown scenario.

What can you do as an unvaccinated person during the Covid lockout?

Unvaccinated, or single vaxxed, people are not to leave their house or place of residence except for three reasons.

-Medical treatment, including COVID-19 testing or vaccination

-For essential goods and services, like groceries, medications and electricity tokens

-To provide care and support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves. In case of an emergency.

You can only go within a 30km radius of your home for these reasons.

Work and exercise used to be included as reasons to leave the home, that is no longer the case.

What does the vaccine pass system mean?

From noon on Monday, January 10, all people in the NT will be required to show proof of their vaccination status to attend a range of businesses, venues, places and events.

People must be double vaccinated to enter pubs and clubs, casinos, restaurants, cinemas and ticketed events for over 500 people in urban centres and over 100 people in non-urban centres.

How can you display your vaccine status?

You can display your vaccination status on the Territory Check In app. You can also display it physically or digitally on your phone.

EDITORIAL: Covid-19 comms a weak link

LIKE a Daly River saltie hunting food, the Chief Minister’s drive to vaccinate the Territory is unrelenting, unquenchable and unapologetic.

Nothing else matters. Not feelings. Not sensitivities. Not life’s niceties. All have been chucked aside in the Chief Minister’s unrelenting drive to have the Northern Territory vaccinated. This is why he screamed in parliament. This is why he swore in a press conference. The Chief Minister’s preoccupation is vaccinating the Territory and, to this end, like the saltie hunting food, nothing will stop him.

Worthy as the outcome is, the means to an end approach doesn’t come without its shortcomings and the biggest casualty of the Covid era has been the reliable flow of information. During a crisis it’s understandable there will be some mixed messaging but Covid’s been around for two years and there’s been plenty of time for the government to get its act together.

The CoronavirusNT website is good but it’s not good enough.

People are confused. The Covid hotline is taking, in some instances, more than 24 hours to call people back. The G2G app is counting down people’s time in quarantine … when they’re not in quarantine.

To help out the government’s many communications teams the NT News today publishes a Q&A answering some of the unanswered questions in plain English.

Perhaps the government could do the same.

 

How do interstate arrivals get tested?

Interstate arrivals receive four rapid antigen test kits on arrival at the airport. They must take a test and submit a declaration online within two hours of arrival into the NT.

What is the Good 2 Go (G2G) app?

The G2G app is an alert service to ensure that new arrivals stay where they supposed to and out of the NT’s exclusion zones. It does not serve as a location to make a test result declaration.

Why does the G2G app say I’m meant to be in quarantine with a countdown?

In short, it’s poor wording. What it actually means is you’re not allowed into an exclusion zone within 14 days of arriving. The full reason is because we’re using an app designed by Western Australia, which still has quarantine for arrivals.

So do I have to do anything with the G2G app?

Yes. For the full 14 days after you arrive, the app will send you alerts once or twice a day. You need to take a selfie to check in. The app is just checking your location and making sure you’re not in an exclusion zone.

What should I do if there is an issue with the G2G app?

Anyone experiencing issues with the G2G Now app should contact the support team at [e-mail] for assistance. If issues persist you may be switched to a manual compliance form.

Where can someone make a rapid antigen test declaration?

The rapid antigen test declaration can be made online on the coronavirus NT website at coronavirus.nt.gov.au/stay-safe/symptoms-testing/rat-testing. You’ll need to take a photo of the test results, with photo ID and the packaging displaying the batch number. However, you just need to keep this on file, there’s no where to upload it on the form.

Are booster shots compulsory?

The NT Government is working to make booster shots compulsory but its not enforcable yet as the booster shot does not show up on your vaccine certificate.

Are there other reasons to get tested?

Anyone who exhibits Covid-19 symptoms or has been called a close contact can access testing.

Where can I get a rapid antigen test or PCR?

To get a PCR test it is best to make an online booking or call the NT Covid-19 hotline. The NT’s PCR testing sites are the East Arm drive-through facility, Katherine Hospital, Palmerston GP Super Clinic, Traeger Park, Tennant Creek Hospital and Gove Peninsula ‘Drive-Through’ Pandemic Clinic.

Free RAT kits (for those who need them) are available at East Arm drive-through, Palmerston GP Superclinic, Katherine Vaccination Centre, Gove Pandemic Clinic, Alice Springs Pandemic Centre and Tennant Creek drive-through testing site.

How will I find out if I’m a close contact?

Someone is considered to be a close contact if they reside in the same place an infected person, are in close contact with an infected person for four hours or more while indoors or is notified by an authorised officer that the person is a close contact.

Have more questions? Let us know in the comments.

Originally published as Confused about your testing requirements or what the lockout means for you? We answer all your questions.