AFR Oct 8Qantas, Coles push for testsMajor companies including...

AFR Oct 8
Qantas, Coles push for tests

Major companies including Qantas, Coles, Woolworths and Pacific National have led the way in pushing for the use of such tests.The CEO of listed medical device company Atomo, John Kelly, said rapid testing would be key not just to reopening schools but for offices and major events such as racing, cricket and tennis, with their test taking just 10 minutes.
“It’s useful to look at overseas markets which are six to nine months ahead of us, Mr Kelly told The Australian Financial Review. “In the UK you are expected to show vaccine certificates and show negative test results to watch major events like Premier football, get into theatres and restaurants and schools.”The Victoria Racing Club has submitted a proposal for a crowd of 11,500 a day on each of the four major days of the Spring Racing Carnival. They have advised their members pre-event testing or vaccine certificates are being considered by the state government.Australian OpenIt is expected a double vaccination requirement would be imposed on the Cup crowd but rapid testing may not be employed until later events like the Australian Open. Tennis stars are also expected to face a vaccine mandate, despite world No. 1 and nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic being among the vaccine-hesitant. The WTA estimated last month 60 per cent of its players were vaccinated.Mr Kelly said the amount invested in rapid tests across the US and Europe showed that state and federal governments had a long way to go to catch up but talks were underway to scale up local manufacturing.“We have expressed interest to both federal and state governments around the ability to scale up and expand our capacity,” he said.“We’ve said to the Australian governments the manufacturing could be done locally.“We’ve had a lot of interest from the Victorian government and the more the pandemic expands the more the need for an on-shore manufacturing capability become obvious.”