8 Sep 2021

Saliva tests for workers crossing Auckland border from Friday

From Nine To Noon, 9:20 am on 8 September 2021
Sample bottle for collecting saliva specimens at a Covid-19 testing station in Hong Kong.

Sample bottle for collecting saliva specimens at a Covid-19 testing station in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

From Friday, 3000 essential workers who cross Auckland's borders will be subject to weekly covid saliva testing.

The government says it is close to striking a deal with a provider to roll this out.

Truckies and others in the freight industry say they still don't have clarity around what the rules are and how they'll comply with them.

Saliva testing of border and MIQ workers has been in place for several weeks now.

The contract for that work was awarded to Asia Pacific Healthcare Group, which tests around 830 workers.

Dr James Ussher is a Clinical Microbiologist with one of APHG's labs -  Southern Community Laboratories, and also Associate Professor at Otago University.

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