University of Queensland Associate Professor Paul Griffin says the use of rapid antigen tests to screen interstate arrivals into Queensland would 'remove additional burdens from the laboratories'.
It comes after Queensland scrapped the requirement for interstate travellers to undertake a PCR test on their fifth day in the state.
'I think we need to look at all of our testing recourses and make sure we do use them appropriately because it clearly does have a capacity and it looks like we're essentially exceeding that at the moment,' Professor Griffin told Sky News Australia.
'We know rapid antigen tests won't replace PCR based testing particularly for people with symptoms.
'But as a screening test, particularity if we're doing more than one rapid antigen test, so maybe a test three days before travel and then the morning of travel for example, then the performance will be similar and certainly enough to fulfil the screening function that we're doing that for.'
