Blooms The Chemist opens rapid antigen test drive-through for local small businesses in Sydney’s Randwick LGA

In an Australian-first, leading community pharmacy network, Blooms The Chemist, is offering a drive-through rapid antigen testing facility for all local businesses operating within Sydney’s Randwick LGA, effective now.

Located on Level B2 of the Belmore Road Royal Randwick Shopping Centre car park, the facility is a convenient and fast service for small businesses in the local community to get staff tested using rapid antigen tests, another important tool in the fight to suppress COVID-19 as Sydney begins to emerge from lockdown.

“We’re very mindful that small businesses have been doing it tough these past few months,” said Rohit Uppal, Pharmacist, Blooms The Chemist Royal Randwick. “The rapid antigen tests can bring immediate peace of mind for business owners, especially those re-opening, to have confidence that their team will be safe at work regardless of their vaccination status.

“This risk of further business disruption with positive staff cases is something every small business wants to avoid,” Uppal continues. “These rapid antigen tests meet the urgent need for accurate, reliable and early detection of COVID-19, providing an important tool to ensure staff members have not contracted the virus. Capturing those instances early may mean a business can remain open, which is critical.”

Blooms The Chemist Royal Randwick has partnered with Pharma Soul, the wholesaler providing the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) approved TESTSEALABS COVID-19 Antigen Test Cassette.

This is a fast diagnostic test intended to detect the presence of viral protein from SARS-CoV-2. The tests will be performed by health professionals in accordance with TGA guidance, and continues the pharmacy’s support to fight COVID-19.

Stephanie Golman from Pharma Soul said that community pharmacies, like Blooms The Chemist, are essential local health providers playing a critical role as part of Australia’s healthcare system.

“We’re proud to be supporting this unique initiative by Blooms The Chemist team in Royal Randwick in delivering this essential service to local small businesses. Rapid antigen tests will play a critical role as an additional protection for Australians who are set to get back to normal life and another defence in our fight against the spread of COVID-19.

We’re confident this drive-through will be a huge success that can then be replicated elsewhere. Pharmacists are such a trusted part of so many local communities, and we’re delighted to be helping them make rapid antigen tests available and keep people safe,” said Golman.

Booking Process

Operating from 6.30 – 9.30am, Monday-Saturday, small business owners in the Eastern Suburbs can call Blooms The Chemist Royal Randwick to register, or they can utilise the pharmacy’s business registration form found here, from which the business owner will receive a link for employees to book their testing times. The cost of the rapid antigen tests is tax deductible.

Once booked, it’s a very quick process for the drive-through testing:
• Employees of registered businesses turn up in their car or in person and will be checked in by a COVID-19 marshal
• A registered nurse will conduct the rapid antigen test, after which they move into a designated waiting bay for 15 minutes
• They will be presented their result and supplied with a physical test result card to show their employer (this will be replaced by a digital platform in the coming weeks)
• It’s recommended that employees be tested 2-3 times a week
• In the event of a positive test, the person will be directed to a COVID-19 testing centre for a PCR screening, and Blooms The Chemist will notify the employer

“The role community Pharmacists play as healthcare professionals on the frontline is more vital than ever,” said Blooms The Chemist CEO-elect, Emmanuel Vavoulas. “We’re committed to continuing our long-standing efforts in the provision of essential healthcare services to protect people in our local communities and delighted to roll out the first rapid antigen test drive-through in Randwick.”

Blooms The Chemist has been working to ensure the health and safety of its communities for more than 40 years, and been playing a crucial role on the frontline throughout the pandemic providing customers with advice on a range of topics, and in the past few months, administering many thousands of vaccinations across the country to fight the virus.

“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic our key priority has been to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our local communities. As pharmacists we play an important role in protecting the health of our customers and undertake significant training to deliver important health services, such as vaccinations and now these rapid antigen tests,” said Uppal.

“We’re excited about this drive-through clinic and believe the uptake will be high. It’s a great initiative and Blooms The Chemist Royal Randwick is proud to offer this first of a kind service. We trust it will be a huge success and, in time, rolled out more broadly across other parts of our Blooms The Chemist network.”