Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce: Let businesses use RAT tests to stay open

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Karla Lee has called for all close contact workers to return to work with a RAT test. Photo / NZME

A petition supported by Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce is calling for all workers including hospitality employees to be deemed "critical" - so that RAT tests can be used to keep businesses open.

It comes as one cafe and business owner in Hawke's Bay says they are being treated like children by the Government, and all businesses should be able to utilise rapid antigen tests (RATs) to monitor employees and keep business running.

The Government has given an exception to self isolation rules for workers in "critical services" who are close contacts of a Covid case.

That includes workers in health, emergency services, transport, food production, and power and water supply, among other key services.

Hospitality and retail workers and even teachers are not considered critical services and must adhere to normal isolation rules.

Currently, anyone who is a close contact of a Covid case must isolate for seven days, which was reduced from 10 days this week as cases and close contacts are expected to rise quickly due to Omicron.

If you get a Covid test at a testing clinic you must also isolate until you receive a negative result.

However, if a critical worker provides a negative on-the-spot RAT test each day - which you can take yourself with a quick nose or saliva swab - they can return to work.

The Government has millions of RAT kits currently available for eligible workers.

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Karla Lee said every worker should be considered a critical worker and have that same option to return to work.

"As long as employees can provide negative rapid antigen test results, they should be allowed to continue working and supporting their families," she said.

"Businesses are already struggling with staffing shortages, supply chain disruptions and inflation, the added pressure of mandatory isolation may be enough to tip businesses towards closure.

"We are pushing for RATs to act as a means to keep business moving, keep our economy flowing and maintain meaningful employment."

The chamber is supporting an online petition which will go before Government, which is currently attracting signatures and was started by the Auckland Business Chamber.

Auckland Business Chamber CEO Michael Barnett said RAT tests were becoming much easier to purchase in New Zealand, and businesses did not need to rely on the Government to supply them.

He said the price for RAT tests appeared to be anywhere between $5 and $11 per test and he had sourced his own for his workers.

Murray Douglas from Te Mata Figs. Photo / Warren Buckland

"Increasingly, supplies [of these test kits] in the private sector are becoming more available," he said.

"The preference would be it is government funded, but companies are keen to keep on doing business rather than being trapped [and can pay for their own tests]."

The Government is offering businesses financial support to pay workers who follow public health guidance and stay home while waiting for a Covid-19 test result or who self isolate as a close contact.

Barnett said that payment was a set amount and would not cover all of an employee's wages in many cases.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the move to allow some vaccinated workers in critical services to not self isolate, with a negative RAT test, would "keep critical supply chains running though Omicron".

"We've seen overseas that a combination of high rates of Omicron alongside isolation periods for contacts has put severe strain on supply chains and the provision of important services."

Te Mata Figs in Havelock North, which includes a popular cafe, co-owner Murray Douglas said he had privately purchased a large number of RAT kits for his 18 employees.

Part of his business includes food production of figs, which is considered a critical service, however, that does not include his cafe.

He said testing would be done every morning at his business of all employees, and their RAT kits were expected to arrive this week.

He said they were being treated like "5-year-olds sitting on the mat" rather than competent business people who can monitor workers safely, and the same rules should apply for both the cafe and critical part of the business.

"They [RAT tests] may not be 100 per cent but they are a pretty good indicator."