The Government must urgently ramp up the supply and availability of rapid antigen tests with PCR testing stations across the country becoming increasingly overwhelmed, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“People in Auckland and Waikato are now waiting up to seven days for Covid test results as the system struggles to cope with the surge in case numbers and Kiwis wanting to get tested.

“It’s only a matter of time before this is replicated around the country. Despite the Prime Minister’s assurances that we have enough testing capacity, that is clearly not the case and things will only get worse without urgent change.

“The first thing they should do is contract Rako Science to offer saliva-based PCR testing. Saliva testing is just as accurate as nasal PCR testing, but the Government’s stubborn attitude towards Rako Science is preventing many more Kiwis from getting tested.

“The Government should then allow pharmacies to sell rapid antigen tests and LAMP tests, like Lucira, for people who want to get tested. This is standard practice overseas but the Government is obsessed with limiting access to rapid tests, which it doesn’t even have enough of because they didn’t get onto ordering them until a few weeks ago.

“People want to do the right thing by getting tested, and now PCR testing centres are clogged because the Government failed to ensure we have enough testing capacity.

“The simple solution is to allow people to buy tests from pharmacies and supermarkets, and allow all businesses to access tests for their workers, not just those deemed ‘critical’ by the Government’s overly bureaucratic Close Contact Exemption Scheme. It isn’t rocket science.”

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