Expert says Government spreading misinformation on saliva testing

Radio NZ report:

The prime minister has been poorly advised over saliva testing, a top US-based epidemiologist says.

Yale researcher Dr Anne Wyllie, who is a New Zealander, has criticised the government over months’ long delays in using saliva testing to get on top of Covid-19 outbreaks.

The quicker and less invasive tests have been widely used overseas for over a year.

But the Ministry of Health has persisted with PCR nasal swabs which take much longer to yield a result and therefore slow down the detection of outbreaks.

Dr Wyllie told RNZ’s Nine to Noon Jacinda Ardern has been given poor advice.

“There’s so much misinformation out there even amongst the government that I’ve even heard on some of the daily briefings.

“Things that are just downright wrong are being said by the prime minister with regards to saliva testing so misinformation amongst the government prevails.”

We often hear about how we should listen to the health experts, so we should take notice when an expert says the Government is spreading misinformation on saliva testing.

Dr Wyllie has a Bachelor of Medical Science in Immunology and Microbiology from Auckland Uni, a Masters in Biological Medical Science from Auckland and a PhD in Medical Microbiology from from Utrecht University (ranked 49th in the world).

Her work saw her awarded a Covid-19 Research Award from Yale School of Public Health. The Yale School of Public Health is seen as one of the top schools in the US.