Expert advice that saliva testing could be used as our main way of detecting Covid-19 has been rejected by the Ministry of Health and Government frustration with the ministry is now reaching breaking point.
Documents seen by 1 NEWS today show experts recommended that saliva tests should become the main method to detect Covid-19.
However, the documents also show that the Ministry of Health pushed back against this idea, claiming that saliva testing isn’t accurate enough to do the job.
The Ministry said thousands of saliva tests could be carried out each week to compliment our nasal testing for the virus.
National’s Covid-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop says it shows a lack of innovation from the Government and the Ministry of Health.
“Saliva testing is in use all around the world and it’s a very good form of testing which allows for much greater frequency,” Bishop said.
1 NEWS political reporter Benedict Collins says the Government is “tearing out its hair” at not being able to implement saliva testing.
“The Government feels the Ministry of Health is resistant to new technology and change.”
A source told Collins the next two weeks is critical and may even see the responsibility for Covid-19 testing taken off the Ministry of Health altogether.
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