Business pleased the Government is heeding calls for rapid antigen tests to be introduced
Wednesday, 26 January 2022
The emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the community has caused a change of tactic from the Government response.
On Wednesday, the Government unveiled a three-phase plan which would reduce self-isolation period, loosen testing requirements, and prioritise PCR lab testing for “priority populations” when daily cases are in their thousands.
Close contacts of Covid-19 cases who worked in healthcare, food distribution and critical infrastructure will be able to return to work after testing negative using rapid antigen tests, on a “test to return” policy.
Business leaders said they were pleased that the Government was heeding repeated calls for rapid antigen tests to be introduced to reduce pressure on critical infrastructure during an outbreak.
**READ MORE:
* Experts fear 1 million rapid antigen tests a week for worst-case Omicron outbreak not enough
* Covid Australia: Victoria records 51,356 new cases, nine deaths; NSW records 45,098 cases
**
The three stages of the plan correspond to the rate of Omicron’s spread through the community.
In the first phase, when there are “some cases” in the community, will be much the same as we currently have. Positive Covid-19 cases will have to isolate for 14 days, and their contacts for 10 days.
In the second phase – “spread in the community” – rapid antigen tests (RATs) may be used to identify cases but the lab-run PCR tests will then be used to confirm a positive diagnosis.
Healthcare, food distribution and critical workers who are close contacts of cases will be able to “test to return” to work, by using a rapid antigen test.
The third phase, when thousands of cases each day are expected, will see a rationing of the lab-run PCR tests – of which there is limited daily capacity – for use on priority populations.
Kirk Hope, chief executive of Business New Zealand said he was pleased the Government had re-evaluated the self-isolation requirements to keep critical infrastructure moving during Omicron.
“The test to work rules for critical workers will be important to keep critical functions open. But we might need more clarity around the availability of rapid antigen tests which is something we have been pushing for, for some time,” he said.
Health Director General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the Government would be taking over orders of rapid antigen tests.
No tests already in New Zealand had been requisitioned, but the Government had asked its suppliers to consolidate all forward orders, so they went to the government.
He promised these would get to the businesses who ordered them.
Food and Grocery Council chief exective Katherine Rich said multiple businesses had complained to her that the Government was taking all the available supply of rapid antigen ests.
Hope also said he wanted the Government to consider reinstating the Covid resurgence support package to help businesses and workers put under strain by Omicron.
“The Government have talked about support for employees that are isolating and testing, and we totally agree with that. But if a business has no customers and no staff, then they are effectively locked down, they will need some form of support to stay afloat,” he said.
E tū national industry organiser Joe Gallagher, said he was happy to see a test to return to work policy in place, but said the new system could leave vulnerable workers at risk.
“People have been through a lot of pain and I hope employers support their workers who may become infected with Covid-19 during the stand down period. Those numbers are a lot of time to be out of action,” he said.
Gallagher said he wanted the Government to continue to support businesses through these periods, because if it did not, it would be workers who footed the bill.
“This package does not have the same levels of support for business owners or workers that we have seen previously. I don’t want workers to pay the price for that,” he said.
Marisa Bidois, chief executive of the Restaurants Association, said she was pleased to hear the isolation period will be reduced in phase two because it would ease staffing pressures in the hospitality industry.
However, the hospitality industry still had no timeframe around when it would move into this phase, or any indication when rapid antigen tests would be made available, she said.
“Our industry cannot work from home, and therefore the ability to be able to test to work is an extremely valuable tool in our armour that unfortunately we will not have access to,” Bidois said.
It was disappointing after two years of restrictions, the Government did not have sufficient supply of rapid antigen tests to make them more widely available to business, she said.
Chris Wilkinson, managing director of First Retail group, said lessons from Australia and Britain showed rapid antigen testing was only as good as access and supply.
“This is the critical factor. Any impact to the accessibility of those tests are going to be a huge stumbling block to out consumer facing sector and their supply chains,” he said.
The Government would need to make sure all businesses had access to rapid antigen testing when they need it.
“This is absolutely fundamental for success. All the messaging that has come through from the retail sector in Australia and the UK have been around utilising the rapid tests.
“It means you can implement your processes successfully, and give staff and customers heightened assurance of safety,” Wilkinson said.