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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-04-30 Daily Xml
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Coronavirus

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:04): A supplementary question: given the need to ramp up testing and the need for reliable testing, have there been any confirmed cases in South Australia of self-testing by individuals ordering tests online? What are the consequences if somebody is found to have ordered a test online?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:04): The honourable member reminds me of an emergency direction that was made, and I might have trouble finding it quickly, but my recollection is that there is an emergency direction that was put in place by the State Coordinator in relation to blood tests; in other words, serology tests that rely on the antibodies in the blood rather than PCR.

My understanding is that the concerns of the Chief Public Health Officer in relation to—let's just say the inappropriateness of that test in this context meant that she felt the need to take action to stop them. As I said, I would need to look at the details of the direction. I suspect it's blocking supply rather than making it a crime to have one. I thank the honourable member for highlighting the point because I think it does help me to reflect back on the Hon. Frank Pangallo's questions.

Just as the Chief Public Health Officer took action using directions to regulate what was being done in the pathology environment in relation to those serological tests, it demonstrates the importance of what she sees as relevant testing, and it may well be that she may want to recommend to the State Coordinator that other emergency directions are made if she considers that's necessary to maintain the quality of the testing. I reiterate what I said to the Hon. Frank Pangallo: it's important to test, it's also important to make sure those tests are reliable.

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