New saliva test 'risky' for border workers: Rako expert

Victoria University’s associate professor of biological sciences, Janet Pitman, claims health officials have no idea whether the tests will work accurately. (Image: Getty)

Pattrick Smellie

Mon, 12 Jul 2021

The covid-19 saliva test being rolled out under a health ministry contract constitutes “a risky strategy” in which “border workers must pay the price” if it fails, says one of the country’s top saliva testing experts. In a June 21 email obtained by BusinessDesk to Sue Gordon, the health ministry’s deputy chief executive for covid-19 health response at the time, Victoria University’s associate professor of biological sciences, Janet Pitman, claims health officials “actually have no idea whethe...

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