Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson says 'surveillance testing' is the way to go to manage the spread of Covid across the workforce. Photo / Paul Taylor
Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson says 'surveillance testing' is the way to go to manage the spread of Covid across the workforce. Photo / Paul Taylor
Napier Port and Pan Pac have embraced large-scale surveillance testing for Covid to ensure the region's forestry and port industry keeps operating.
Napier Port has been undertaking Covid surveillance testing on 200 workers daily.
Staff are saliva-tested using the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method, which detects genetic materialfrom the virus in the sample.
It is a recognised alternative to the widely used rapid antigen tests (RATs) and detects the presence of specific proteins from the virus.
The Ministry of Health says is it the most accurate test for detecting Covid and can be used for surveillance and diagnosis.
Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson said it was "exactly" the type of solution businesses needed to buffer them from Omicron.
"The Delta outbreak in August 2021 made us realise containment was not going to be a long-term option, and we had to find ways to keep workers safe and keep our port open. If ports close, the country closes – it's that simple.
"While vaccination is the best protection available, once it's in the community it becomes about minimising spread. That's where surveillance screening solutions become critical," he said.
Dawson said the port had been using the on-site surveillance testing since November 21. Workers had started working split shifts/bubbles so that they were not all present on the same day.
The test is a surveillance saliva PCR test.
"PCR is the gold standard for Covid testing. The nasopharyngeal tests that we're most familiar with in NZ for testing is PCR," he said.
He said the cost per test was "substantially lower" than the government-provided RAT test that were difficult to source.
"Compared to the cost of having to close the port, or other businesses for that matter, it's also substantially lower."
Napier Port workers have been undergoing surveillance testing for Covid everyday. Photo / Paul Taylor
Pan Pac are also using the same test and managing director Tony Clifford said they supported Napier Port's approach to using RT-PCR technology for Covid-19 surveillance screening.
"Pan Pac saw the immediate benefit to the Hawke's Bay community and procured the same technology with the intention of identifying Covid-19 cases at an early stage to prevent the spread of the virus," Clifford said.
"Napier Port helped to set up this programme, which has been made available to all staff and contractors that visit our Whirinaki site, regardless of vaccination status."
