Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says a new definition of close contacts will aim to get the 'best bang for the buck" by ensuring people queuing for PCR tests have a 'high likelihood of being positive'.
It comes after the Prime Minister announced an emergency National Cabinet meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss a new national definition of close contact and a national standard for testing and isolation.
'Frankly if you have to wait eight hours in a queue and then 72 to 96 hours to get a result, it's not fulfilling any useful public health function and it is delaying proper clinical care,' Professor Kelly said during a news conference on Wednesday.
'So really what we're trying to do here is to go for the best bang for the buck, make sure that people who are queueing really need that test and are at a high likelihood of being positive so that the proper information can be given and the proper public health and clinical action can be taken.'
