The coronavirus testing system is struggling to keep up with demand as a growing number of people apply for swabs. People with symptoms applying for drive-through tests have been directed more than 100 miles (161km) away. The government says areas with fewer coronavirus cases have had their testing capacity reduced, in order to cope with outbreaks.
But public health experts warn this could miss the start of new spikes.
lthough cases are now at a relatively low level, the UK's chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty has said he expects containing the virus to be more difficult as we go into winter. And the return to school and workplaces could lead to even more demand for testing.
We knew there was something amiss when our home kit tests took a week to return the results. How convenient that this news breaks after the PM's first questions time, was that a deliberate delay, to give them a another week to sort out an excuse or find time to bury it among other news.
As the schools reopen, the report has to be. Could do better.
So much for 'ramping up' the number of tests, and our 'world-beating' test and trace system. Dido Harding failed miserably at Talktalk and now she's running our testing system. It seems the more you fail the more power and money you are given.
With the start of the cold and flu season there'll be an increased demand for testing. If results are going to take so long to come back, whole sections of a community could grind to a halt while waiting for the results.
Yesterday there was a report of a child being positive for Covid. His bubble are now in isolation. Today two others are positive. Sadly the child passed it to his older brother. So his bubble at another school is now in isolation. Schools in our area opened last Wednesday. Testing in Leicestershire is good results sometimes the same day. Personally if they hold back testing now we will be in lockdown again within a few weeks.
Exactly what I was afraid of. Speed is of essence with isolating these "bubbles", any delays will cause a more widespread infection jumping from school to school via siblings. Plus of course their parents and grandparents.
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