A community health group trialling saliva testing for Covid-19 is frustrated they can’t get sign off from the Ministry of Health.
That’s despite them running a pilot programme alongside an accredited saliva testing company Rako Science . They tested the likes of New Zealand’s Olympians and Air New Zealand staff.
Te Whānau O Waipareira Trust chief executive and former Cabinet Minister John Tamihere said the method was advantageous for people like residential care residents and those on blood thinners.
“From a contractual perspective, the Whānau Ora network will need consent of its funders to deploy saliva as an option,” he said.
While the programme receives funding from its local DHB, Tamhere said approval was contingent on the Ministry of Health.
IGENZ’s Amanda Dixon-McIver, the lab which partnered with Rako Science, said it has capacity to do up to 10,000 swabs a day.
“We just want to use it,” she said.
1 NEWS has tried for three days to get answers from top health officials. On Friday, the Ministry of Health referred 1 NEWS to Te Puni Kōkiri.
Meanwhile, the Government remains vague about Waipareira’s proposal.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said saliva testing was being rolled out for frontline border workers.
“Not all of them have access to it at this point,” Hipkins said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said saliva tests took as long as nasal swabs to process.
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