A Covid-19 testing regime that has not been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration will be used to collect data in Western Australia amid fears the virus is spreading undetected in the community.
From Saturday, a team of 15 researchers will begin doorknocking at random households across the metropolitan area, requesting people take a Covid-19 test, but participation is voluntary.
The process will take about 30 minutes and involve a saliva sample being taken, which people can collect themselves.
Saliva samples will be processed using loop mediated isothermal amplification technology on the Sentinel machine.
People will also be asked questions about their age, type of work or study, and vaccination status.
The Covid-19 test has not yet been approved by the TGA as a diagnostic test, but can be used for screening purposes.
“This new type of saliva-based test — called a LAMP assay and currently approved for research purposes — has been proven to be as effective as a rapid antigen test,” lead researcher Nick Golding said.
“The test isn’t yet registered approved as a diagnostic test, but we’ll contact anyone who returns a positive result from the saliva sample to let them know they should get a RAT or PCR test.”
The state government has provided more than $130,000 to the Telethon Kids Institute to conduct the infection study with Curtin University.
The study will span several weekends, with the aim of testing about 875 people in total.
Suburbs to be targeted include Bayswater, Bassendean, Perth City, Belmont, Victoria Park, Cottesloe, Claremont, Stirling, Canning, Melville, Fremantle and South Perth.
Households in those suburbs will receive a flyer in their letterbox.
Health Minister Amber-Jaxjmtzywde Sanderson said it was “the ideal time” for the study to be conducted as the state neared its peak of Omicron.
“We have always suspected that there are more Covid-19 cases in the community than daily testing results show,” she said.
“We know that some people who get Covid are asymptomatic. People who are feeling perfectly normal are probably not going to get tested unless they are required to under isolation rules.
“This research will be another tool for us to better understand the spread of the virus.”
WA recorded one new death and 7151 new infections on Thursday, taking the total number of active cases to 31,211.
There were 122 people in hospital, including four in intensive care.
Friday’s figures are yet to be released.
