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Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Testing Framework for COVID-19 in Australia
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Australia continues to follow a suppression strategy in response to COVID-19. Our goal is to have no community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We accept that outbreaks will remain a risk. A key priority of the public health response is to rapidly detect all infections and identify their source. This ensures that there are no unrecognised chains of transmission in the community. Targeted testing is crucial to this response. As Australia moves closer to achieving our goal, we need a revised testing framework. Australia's approach needs to consider testing requirements in a low/zero prevalence society which enable early detection of cases, this in turn supports a rapid and successful outbreak response.
This document provides a national framework to guide local approaches to testing. Individual states and territories can apply this framework to fit their local circumstances.
The Current and emerging SARS-CoV-2 testing technology and methods Annexwhich accompanies this framework contains technical guidance on applying SARS-CoV-2 testing technology in Australia. It provides governments, industry and other decision makers with advice on the utility and availability of different SARS-CoV-2 testing technologies and methods:
- that are either available in Australia or emerging globally; or
- may have a role in the COVID-19 pandemic response.
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves and more tests and testing methods become available, the Australian Government will continue to update this document.
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