Covid 19 Coronavirus: Voluntary saliva test provided to workers at Auckland Airport

As the rollout of voluntary saliva testing expands, it may be imminent to switch the method of Covid-19 testing required in New Zealand.

Auckland Airport workers are currently being offered saliva tests to add another layer of protection.

That was after the government announced last month additional test methods for border workers in quarantine facilities.

The Ministry of Health says there are still no signs that saliva PCR tests may replace the mandatory nasopharyngeal tests at this stage, but health experts say it is only a matter of time.

Professor Michael Baker, an epidemiologist at the University of Otago, said that if everyone was convinced that saliva testing was performing well, it could replace the nasal swab test.

“That means you can think of the idea of ​​having a daily checkup as a way to speed up outbreak protection,” Baker said.

Baker said it’s good that multiple laboratories are testing these technologies in New Zealand.

“Saliva testing is much less invasive for people … it could switch to saliva testing, and it could make the job much easier, especially for workers who already feel more vulnerable. There is. “

Mary Liztuck, general manager of corporate services at Auckland Airport, said asymptomatic testing will be easy and comfortable for airport and border workers, while at the same time providing the highest level of protection for the community.

“We want to see as many protective layers as possible for our people and our community,” Tuck said.

The airport has partnered with Rako Science, a New Zealand business that has established a Covid-19 surveillance test in New Zealand using a shielded saliva test developed at the University of Illinois.

The collection site at Auckland Airport’s international terminal was set up to provide saliva tests and was set up to run for three months while scientists measure efficacy.

Airport staff participating in saliva tests voluntarily performed nasal swab tests, which are required by the government’s border policy.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health said the PCR nasopharyngeal swab method is still considered the gold standard for Covid testing because it detects the virus most effectively.

“This swab type is a good collection method for both symptomatic and asymptomatic tests because it provides the best sample and is highly sensitive to virus detection.”

She said voluntary saliva testing was resumed this week at Auckland’s quarantine facility and Christchurch’s controlled quarantine and quarantine facility.

Rako Science uses the RT-qPCR saliva testing protocol developed by the University of Illinois, which conducts 1.3 million tests on campus.

Dr. Stephen Grice, Chief Science Officer at Rako Science, told the Ministry of Health last December that Rako’s Scientific Committee had successfully verified and certified saliva tests in New Zealand.

He recently said he provided the ministry with additional data confirming that the test was as accurate as a test using a nasal swab.

“Rako Science is capable of processing 10,000 tests per day, and the sample collection system does not rely on healthcare professionals to manage the tests.”

The Covid-19 saliva test has been certified for use in New Zealand by the International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ).

Separately, Air New Zealand staff worked with the Institute for Environmental Sciences (ESR) to examine the effectiveness of saliva tests to detect Covid-19.

Rako Science’s salivary deployment was not related to the trials being performed by ESR.

Last month, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the role and effectiveness of Covid-19 saliva testing is still evolving.

“The Ministry of Health will report on the findings of the test in early March,” he said at the time.