Health

Lab scientists - the unknown heroes of Covid-19 testing

17:49 pm on 1 September 2021

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In the wee smalls of the morning in a quiet lab somewhere, the three-millionth Covid-19 nasopharyngeal swab was processed with little fanfare or fuss.

The Delta community outbreak has seen a massive surge in tests with a rolling seven day average of more than 27,500.

Lab scientists have been racing to process them and today they got a socially distanced back slap from the Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Terry Taylor is President of the NZ Institute of Medical Laboratory Science. He talks to Lisa Owen.