More COVID-19 rapid antigen tests are on the way but you still won't be able to buy one.
The Government has ordered 36 million extra rapid antigen tests for critical workers, and backed down on consolidating private orders into the Government's stock.
But the National Party is urging them to go further faster - two tests a week for school kids, and halving isolation to seven days and creaking the border open.
National MPs spent another day in Queenstown on Tuesday for the second day of their caucus retreat, learning how to win from a winner - former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
Christopher Luxon got the golden endorsement when Hansen was asked to describe the new National leader: "Good man."
Luxon kicked off the day by arguing that the Government should change its Omicron response.
"We can't live here in splendid isolation forever," he said in a speech at Winnies, a gourmet pizza bar.
National announced on Tuesday it wants rapid antigen tests in schools - students and staff tested twice weekly, like they do in Australia.
"Why in New Zealand, do we accept that, 'Oh sorry, we just didn't get the rapid antigen tests last year'," Luxon told reporters.
There are 800,000 schoolkids in New Zealand. Our current supply of 5 million rapid antigen tests wouldn't even last three weeks, and that doesn't even take into account teacher tests. There would need to be millions and millions of tests available.
"The reality is they are available and the Government hasn't been able to procure its supply. It needs to get going and then you'd be able to do that," Luxon said.
The Government announced on Tuesday there are 36 million more tests en route. They'll go into the Government's pool - only for critical workers and not accessible to the public.
And after a storm over stealing tests last week, the Government now says in fact no private sector orders were reassigned to the Government.
"That did not occur. Orders have been dealt with as they've been put in," said Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.
Schools want in on the order.
"Rapid antigen testing would be just amazing if we could get hold of it, absolutely," says Queen Margaret College Principal Jayne-Ann Young.
"If it's like it has been overseas, it's going to go fast, and we'll have a lot of illness both within our community and in our children and our staff."
Robertson said the Government is "not in a position right now" to do it.
"We do have the space and time to be able to work through where schools fit alongside what I would suggest might be some other high-risk settings that we might have to work through, such as aged care facilities."
When the Big Sick comes, isolation periods will cripple workforces. National wants isolation slashed to seven days, and managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) for returning Kiwis scrapped today.
Luxon denies it would let Omicron rip.
"No, we want to be a really measured, a really intelligent approach."
The Government has announced it will reduce the isolation period for cases to 10 days and contacts to seven days when we move to phase two of its Omicron plan.
Queenstowners are howling out for the borders to open. Things are getting desperate for a busker Newshub spoke to and his crooning canine.
"We're not making any money and half of us are thinking we've gotta get on the dole."
It's all business leaders are talking about.
"We're hanging out for a border opening," Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult said.
Luxon told the crowd: "We need to be open for business. We're not going to be rebuild our economy by drawing a moat around the motu."
Robertson said Cabinet discussed reopening the border on Tuesday.
"Cabinet's had discussions about reconnecting New Zealand... the Prime Minister will be speaking about that on Thursday."
The Government is leaving us hanging as we wait for the Omicron wave.
