https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/urgent-government-makes-surprise-move-on-rapid-tests/news-story/55d0916b2f9534bc5403c9abded0b9cc


Hopefully it is relevant to Eugeni.

Cheers

M.oz

‘Urgent’: Government makes surprise move on rapid tests

The federal government has quietly made a surprise move on rapid antigen tests, just days after making a bold call.

An urgent tender for millions of rapid antigen tests has been placed by the federal government.

In total, five tenders for rapid tests worth just under $62 million were quietly published on Tuesday by the Department of Health.

On the AusTender website, the department listed “extreme urgency or unforeseen events” as the reason for the limited tender.

The tender comes just a day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced backlash from pharmacists after they were told they needed to secure their own supply of additional tests to support the government’s plan for free RATs for concession card holders.

Rapid antigen tests have been in short supply as the number of cases across the nation rises. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

NCA Newswire contacted the Health Minister Greg Hunt’s office and the Health Department for comment but they did not respond before deadline.

It is not yet clear where the tests would be deployed or when they will arrive for use.

Just last week, Mr Morrison said securing rapid antigen tests was a state responsibility.

“It's the same rules that apply for PCR tests. States secure the supplies for PCR tests, and for RAT tests that they’d be supplying for their own purposes in whatever state has always been a matter for the states,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Scott Morrison said last week securing rapid tests was a state responsibility. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The opposition said the delayed order proved the government was unprepared for the demand.