Labor Leader Rebecca White has welcomed the government's move to increase testing for COVID-19 in Tasmania.
Ms White said the government has confirmed there is now capacity to perform up to 500 tests each day.
"That level of testing is really important as we work to get ahead of this crisis. And we should expect to have to increase it further.
"The World Health Organization has been absolutely clear: without testing, cases cannot be isolated and the chain of infection cannot be broken.
"Ramping up testing is one of the key things we can do right now to detect the spread of the virus in the community."
Ms White said while attention is rightly on the outbreak in the North West, increased testing must be implemented right across the state.
"Government must apply a low threshold for testing, and not just for people in the North West region. Anyone with respiratory symptoms, anywhere in Tasmania, must be tested.
"I urge the government to act as quickly as possible to roll out increased capacity for testing, so that all Tasmanians who may be infected can be tested and appropriately isolated, so they don't infect others.
"Other states have adopted this approach to protect their communities, and we must do so too."
Ms White sent a message of thanks and support to health workers across the state.
"Health workers have been under extreme pressure over recent days. Hundreds of staff in the North West have been sent home to quarantine, and that has a huge impact on individuals and their families.
"Health workers remaining in the system are managing a hugely increased workload as the result of the closure of two hospitals.
"We know that health workers are on the COVID-19 frontline and we must do everything we can to support them.
"That includes doing what they're pleading with us to do: stay home to minimise the number of people who may eventually need medical treatment for COVID-19."
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
