The time it takes for New Zealanders to get tested for Covid-19 is a "big limit", says infectious disease specialist Dr Ayesha Verrall.
On TVNZ1's Q+A, Dr Verrall told host Jack Tame that to move to Level 2 "we need to keep seeing really low case numbers, we don't have to hit zero every day".
"I expect we will still have ongoing cases, people coming in from overseas. As long as they are in quarantine and there is no ongoing transmission from them."
She said also hoped there would not be onward transmissions from those clusters.
The Prime Minister told media today she would release details about rules around Level 2 on Thursday, with Cabinet deciding when it should move next Monday.
She said contact tracing was not yet where she thought it should be moving to Level 2, "but it does look like we're on track".
However, Dr Verall said a pressing issue was the time it took for people to get tested.
"People are waiting four or five days to get tested. We really need to shorten that. If you leave it all those delays add up to delays in contact tracing as well."
She said this could be remedied by Kiwis getting tested as soon as they became unwell and the Government using tools such are education or media campaigns.
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