We have had a number of queries around what the Rapid Antigen Test is, how does it work, and can it replace the “my vaccine pass”?
As regional boundaries lifted from 15 December 2021, some unvaccinated domestic travellers will have to get rapid antigen tests as part of the Covid-19 Protection Framework requirements.
However, the Rapid antigen testing will not be a replacement of any other testing or vaccine requirements required as part of the public health response – it is only designed to sit alongside these services.
According to the Ministry of Health, the rapid antigen testing requires a high quantity of virus to be present before producing a positive result – this means that it is less sensitive in detecting asymptomatic persons or those early in the infectious period, and therefore is not a suitable substitute for vaccination.
If you are operating under the CVC framework, you will still require the customers/visitors on your premise to show their My vaccine pass.