Laboratory workers across the country feel they are not getting the recognition they deserve, despite their daily work testing for the new coronavirus.
Laboratory staff in New Zealand are processing up to 40,000 coronavirus tests per day.
photograph: AFP
The lab is processing between 30,000 and 40,000 COVID-19 tests per day, on top of its usual run of around 200,000 tests.
Terry Taylor, director of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, said it was unfair to face criticism from a small number of people about the competence and qualifications of the lab's scientists.
“It's certainly a bit shocking when people tell you how things should be or how they should do things. And often there's very little evidence to back up what they say.”
The institute represents approximately 4,000 workers.
“The response of our local diagnostic laboratory is clearly another shining example of how a large, talented workforce can be harnessed to perform specific tasks quickly and effectively.”
He said the unfounded criticism indirectly underestimates the work the lab's scientists and engineers are doing in the field.
“We are actually medical professionals recognized in our own rights and we work in the most quality-controlled environment of any other medical professional,” he said, adding that the workers the institute represents are also “experts in quality assurance and quality control.”
“As scientists, we wear all of these hats every day.”
Taylor said lab technicians are working long hours to compile COVID-19 test results.
“Basically, we work from dawn to dusk and even into the night to deliver results.”
“If 10,000 samples are dropped on your desk every morning and you have to process them very quickly, that's quite a challenge.
“It's a little unfair for people to criticise us when we're really operating at an extreme level,” he said.
Taylor said lab staff have stepped up to the challenge of COVID-19.
“It's easy for those outside New Zealand's diagnostic testing environment to be quick to blame those working tirelessly on the frontline for inherent system policy issues that are outside of their control.”
