Changes to Covid-19 testing in Auckland has been announced by the Ministry of Health and Auckland DHB.
As demand surges those needing a Covid-19 test who visit a community testing centre in Auckland may be given a rapid antigen test (RAT) from Monday onward, Auckland DHB said in a statement.
They will be available to "those who fit the appropriate clinical criteria".
The Ministry of Health said in a statement each testing site will determine which test - PCR or RAT - is best.
"As the outbreak grows more people will have Covid and there will be more close contacts we need to test.
"As planned, we will now increase the use of RATs in Phase 2 and Phase 3 of our response in order to relieve pressure on the PCR testing and reserve it for those most likely to have Covid," the statement said.
Auckland DHB also said household close contacts of a Covid-19 case in Auckland isolating for 10 days only need to be tested on day eight, not day three.
Non-household close contacts required to isolate for seven days will now only need to be tested on day five, in Auckland only.
National Party Covid-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop said in a statement on Sunday the Government should urgently ramp up the availability of rapid antigen tests, "with PCR testing stations across the country becoming increasingly overwhelmed."
He said: “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.
"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."
It comes after a record high 2522 cases were recorded in the community on Sunday, 1799 of which were in Auckland.
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