TGA admits delay in at-home testing until vax rates higher was deliberate

One thing is key to unlocking easy, at-home Covid tests in Australia, which has been described as a ‘priority’.

Vaccine rates are the key to unlocking easy at-home Covid tests in Australia due to what health officials say is a lower risk of positive cases spreading in the community.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Monday said rapid tests could be approved for at-home use by Christmas.

The tests are already widely available for at-home use around the world, including in the UK and US where a negative result can be used to enter an event or venue.

Speaking with the NCA Newswire, Therapeutic Goods Administration boss John Skerritt pushed back responsibility for Australia’s go-slow approach to at-home Covid rests on the federal government.

Professor John Skerritt has said the delay of rapid antigen testing until Australia’s vaccination rates were higher was deliberate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“We're saying to companies, submit your data, show us, but we can't formally make an approval decision until we get a signal from the government,” Professor Skerritt said.

“It's a decision for the government. Firstly, when they feel an appropriate time is to commit such tests. But then secondly, we've got to have the tests that are actually ready to go and designed so they can be used by non-professional people.”

“They have to make a decision, you know, when is it less of a big deal to start missing some positive cases, because we know these rapid antigen tests are pretty good, but they're not as good as the gold standard PCR test.”

But Professor Skerritt said the government had made it clear rapid antigen testing was a priority.

“The TGA has already commenced the review of data for self-tests and will continue to do so as a priority,” he said.

Currently 51.8 per cent of the population aged 16 and over is fully vaccinated.

Asked if the delay in the roll out of at-home tests until vaccination rates in Australia were higher was a deliberate strategy, Professor Skerritt said “correct”.

“If you've got someone out there in the community who’s infectious and 80 per cent of people when they’re vaccinated, it’s a hell of a big difference than if you’ve only got 50 per cent vaccinated,” he told NCA Newswire.

But if Australia can reach a higher level of vaccination, then Professor Skerritt argues it will be more acceptable if a positive case is missed here or there.

“Countries like the United Kingdom, England and the rest of the UK have never been able to do the level of contact tracing. So if they miss a number of infections, it's unfortunate. Whereas Australia has been trying to track it and trace every infection today.”

“Those things become less important if you're up at 80 per cent.

“The risks for the broader society of someone not doing the right thing become less once you have a higher vaccination rate.”

Rapid antigen testing is already being used in a number of settings across the country, such as in aged care homes and in some quarantine facilities.

But it is currently illegal to sell these tests to people for self-testing.

Professor Skerritt said the TGA was looking at how modifications could be made to make them more suitable for self use.

“The ones we have currently approved in Australia are designed for professional use,” he said.

An at home test as sold on the shelves in the US. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFP

Originally published as TGA admits delay in at-home testing until vax rates higher was deliberate