Queensland says it is yet to decide on rapid tests for border, despite NSW premier saying it had agreed
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says no final decision has been reached on substituting PCR tests for rapid tests on border crossings, despite the New South Wales premier saying she had already agreed to such a measure.
On Thursday, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet announced new Covid-19 rules for his state, including mask requirements, density limits and rapid antigen testing priorities to relieve his state’s overwhelmed PCR test capacity.
Perrottet also mentioned the need to address the impact interstate tourism requirements for a negative PCR test were having on spiralling Covid-19 testing queues across NSW this week – something the NSW government has labelled “tourism testing”.
He also appeared to suggest the Queensland government had eased its testing requirements for entry, saying that from 1 January, people travelling to Queensland could instead rely on a negative rapid antigen test to enter Queensland.
“I want to thank Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has announced she will remove that requirement and transition to a rapid antigen test from 1 January,” Perrottet said.
However, a spokesperson for Palaszczuk insisted that no such policy to accept negative rapid antigen tests from travellers had been agreed to by Thursday evening.
Guardian Australia understands the Queensland premier is willing to agree to the measure but is still waiting for further medical advice to understand the impact it would have.
Also on Thursday, Palaszczuk used less certain terms than Perrottet, saying her state was still “looking at” the idea from the beginning of the year.
“We’re talking about those rapid tests. So, you know, we need to see how they would be administered.”
Guardian Australia contacted Perrottet for further clarification.
There were 160,000 PCR tests conducted in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, with daily testing numbers exceeding 100,000 in recent weeks ahead of the Christmas period.
At a press conference on Thursday, Perrottet acknowledged testing clinics had been overwhelmed by demand.
“I do know there has been a fair bit of frustration out there. Many people waiting hours in queues, particularly as we come into Christmas,” he said.
“We’re doing everything we can to alleviate that pressure. In addition to the PCR testing, if you’re unwell and those people from NSW … if you aren’t feeling unwell, please do not get a PCR test.”
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The health minister, Brad Hazzard, said high testing numbers were “sucking the energy out of all the frontline pathology workers”.
“I would ask everybody to listen very carefully to the message that if you don’t need to go – if you haven’t got symptoms or haven’t received a message telling you that you must have a PCR test – probably you don’t need to have a PCR test,” Hazzard said.