❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the state's stock of rapid antigen tests (RATs), their distribution, and potential expiry, met with a defensive answer highlighting the success of WA's COVID-19 response.
AnsweredQoN 155Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS
155. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I refer to rapid antigen test kits
purchased by the WA government.
(1) Of the 40.8 million RAT kits
still in stock, how many of each brand have not yet been distributed?
(2) Have any RAT kits purchased by
the government expired before they were able to be distributed?
(3) Is the
government still not concerned that it may have overestimated community demand
for RAT kits?
(4) Is the
government considering any other type of creative ways to distribute RAT kits
before they expire, other than encouraging commuters at train stations to take
as many as possible?
RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS
155. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I refer to rapid antigen test kits
purchased by the WA government.
(1) Of the 40.8 million RAT kits
still in stock, how many of each brand have not yet been distributed?
(2) Have any RAT kits purchased by
the government expired before they were able to be distributed?
(3) Is the
government still not concerned that it may have overestimated community demand
for RAT kits?
(4) Is the
government considering any other type of creative ways to distribute RAT kits
before they expire, other than encouraging commuters at train stations to take
as many as possible?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) No
self-test RATs, which are the type distributed to the community, have expired.
A total of 759 000 professional RATs, 0.7 per cent of the total RATs purchased
by the WA government that are for clinical use only, such as in the health
system, have reached their expiry date. It is easy to forget how the east coast was completely paralysed as Omicron overwhelmed
all their systems. It was terribly difficult for them, waiting hours for a PCR test, to then have to wait days and days
for the result. Here in WA, we had the opportunity to learn from what they went
through. We got RAT kits into the state and delivered the most comprehensive
free rollout of RATs, just another example of our world-leading COVID-19
management.
self-test RATs, which are the type distributed to the community, have expired.
A total of 759 000 professional RATs, 0.7 per cent of the total RATs purchased
by the WA government that are for clinical use only, such as in the health
system, have reached their expiry date. It is easy to forget how the east coast was completely paralysed as Omicron overwhelmed
all their systems. It was terribly difficult for them, waiting hours for a PCR test, to then have to wait days and days
for the result. Here in WA, we had the opportunity to learn from what they went
through. We got RAT kits into the state and delivered the most comprehensive
free rollout of RATs, just another example of our world-leading COVID-19
management.
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