Mandate Saliva Testing Immediately For Public Use

Waipareira wants the government to urgently mandate saliva testing before reopening the borders to thousands of Kiwis who will flock to their holiday homes for Christmas.

The call comes on the back of a scathing Auditor-General’s report into the clumsily and hastily procurement process into a $50 million saliva testing contract. The Auditor-General said the majority of panellists who signed off on the multi-million dollar contract were conflicted. The contract was awarded to the Asia Pacific Health group (APHG), even though that organisation did not have the laboratory certifications required to manage bulk saliva testing.

Rako Science – who is the only recognised organisation with the capability to effectively manage saliva testing – signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Waipareira in August.

Lance Norman, who has overseen the Waipareira saliva programme implementation said the benefits of saliva testing were many, including a quick turnaround rate.

“Rako has the capacity to test up to 10,000 saliva samples a day, which would quickly clear people of knowing they have covid or quickly wrap support around them should they test positive,” Norman said.

Waipareira staff on the frontline vaccinating and swabbing are tested twice weekly.

Norman said the government must act quickly to add saliva testing as part of the ongoing vaccination programme.

“Because you receive your saliva results within 12-24 hours, it gives you immediate peace of mind,” Norman said.

“Our elders could be tested in a more dignified way rather than having that tube go right up their noses.”

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