Grice said the Ministry of Health was too slow in accepting international science on the value of saliva-based PCR testing. "Rako Science has also offered the ministry a protocol from the University of Illinois which would allow us to process eight times our current 10,000 per day testing capacity. "Beginning in March 2021, Rako Science has repeatedly offered to the Ministry of Health to license its technology, for a peppercorn fee, to publicly-owned laboratories to support the public health response. It comes after Professor David Murdoch of the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Testing Technical Advisory Group said last month the Government could have been better prepared for rapid antigen testing. Hipkins argued at the time that only the most accurate forms of testing could be considered given New Zealand was pursuing a strict elimination strategy.

Source: Stuff November 19, 2021 02:36 UTC