Australia’s largest jewellery group Nationwide Jewellers has announced it will acquire rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to help ensure COVID-related measures are in place and maintain continuity of business operations among its members.
The RAT kits were sourced overseas and the Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved their reliability. Each member will have the option to order packs of 10 or 20 kits, which are expected to arrive in late February.
According to Colin Pocklington, managing director, Nationwide Jewellers “In early December 2021 we recognised that over the next six months or more, employers would need to provide staff with the rapid antigen tests to assist in managing staffing levels around Covid infections, and close contacts. Initially, we purchased a quantity of tests for staff in our office.”
He noted there has been a rising demand for more tests on staff and close contacts due to the rise of COVID and with “the significant difficulty in obtaining tests in many areas, we decided that we needed to assist our members.”
The group has already ordered a second shipment as orders for the first batch exceeded expactations within hours after the tests’ availability was advertised to members.
Nationwide Jewellers is the largest jewellery group in Australasia. It has more than 400 members across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
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