A top medical director is criticising the increase in PCR testing capacity saying it's "shortsighted" and could have flow-on effects for other patients.
Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall revealed the increase during a post-Cabinet press conference on Tuesday.
Verrall said PCR testing capacity can be increased by nearly 20,000 tests per day to deal with a surge in cases as part of the wider COVID-19 testing strategy.
Since a review in October last year, PCR testing capacity has increased from a maximum 39,000 tests per day to a baseline of 58,000 tests. Surge capacity is now 77,600 tests, which can be sustained for seven days.
But the President of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science Terry Taylor says the new figures are "best-scenario" estimates.
"It is always dangerous to throw around figures that do not represent real-time and external influences," Taylor said.
"The figures released on testing capacity are best-scenario estimates relying on full staffing and in most cases 24-hour service provision.
He said several things could disrupt capacity such as machines breaking, workers getting sick or supply chain issues.
"As soon as the current pooling of samples is no longer viable due to increasing positivity rates then the capacity drops significantly and quickly.
"There are only 24 hours in a day, and machines and people can only take so much working at full capacity."
Taylor said swamping the laboratories with COVID-19 tests will also have flow-on effects for other patients.
"It is both shortsighted and totally unfair on an already beleaguered workforce to force scientists to make decisions that can have a significant flow-on effect for other diagnostic testing that can affect patient outcomes.
"Laboratory tests are an essential cog in almost all acute patient care situations. Swamp our diagnostic laboratories and the resulting flow-on to clinical healthcare decisions has the potential to cause patient harm."
He said laboratory staff are a finite resource and have already endured years of being "undervalued" and "treated like commodities".
"[They] will once again put everything on the line for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand.
"All we can do is our very best and if things do not go to plan, then everyone has been warned.
"This group of dedicated health professionals deserve plaudits for nearly two years of operating on the edge - but you can only push things so far."
While rapid antigen tests will be used in certain scenarios, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said PCR tests are prefered.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ardern denied PCR testing is being ramped up because of a lack of rapid antigen testing - instead saying it's because they are more accurate.
