HE’S ONLY GONE AND DONE IT!
Hancock smashes virus testing goal
MATT Hancock has smashed his audacious virus testing target – hitting 122,347 in a single day.
The Health Secretary, who
pledged 100,000 tests would take place daily by the end of April, said the huge accomplishment would help get Britain out of lockdown and “back on her feet”.
He said teams across the country toiled tirelessly to make sure the goal was met.
And he added the dramatic increase was “crucial to suppress the virus” and will help the nation win the battle against the disease.
Mr Hancock said: “I knew that it was an audacious goal but we needed an audacious goal because testing is so important for getting
Britain back on her feet. I can announce that we have met our goal. The number of tests yesterday, on the last day of April, was 122,347.
“This unprecedented expansion in British testing capability is an incredible achievement – but it is not my achievement, it is a national achievement.”
Across the country, 49 drivethrough sites are open while 96 mobile units tour the nation.
Mr Hancock’s total also includes home test kits, which were counted when they were dispatched.
He said the increase in capacity would “help every single person in this country”.
The Health Secretary had faced criticism for setting such a tough target but he insisted it was the right choice to make.
He said: “Setting stretching, ambitious goals in a crisis has a galvanising effect on everybody involved. It is a mission.
“If we hadn’t been so bold, if we’d chosen a safer, easier path, I just can’t see how we would have built the capacity that we need.”
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press briefing, Mr Hancock revealed the next phase of his mission will be to recruit an army of experts to track and trace people
who have come into contact with those who have tested positive for coronavirus.
It will help the Government in its plans to give back some freedoms to the public.
He said: “In recent weeks we’ve had to impinge on historic liberties to protect our NHS and our
loved ones, and yet our goal must be freedom.
“Freedom from the virus, yes, and we will not lift measures until it is safe to do so.
“But also we care about the restoration of social freedom and economic freedom too – each citizen’s right to do as they please. For
now, we’re working together to stay home, we’re impinging on the freedom of all for the safety of all.
“With this next mission of test, track and trace, I’m seeking a solution that allows us – by each of us participating – to target the measures that are needed with much more precision and so to
reassert, as much as is safely possible, the liberty of us all.”
Mr Hancock spoke as Public Health England revealed 739 more people had died from Covid-19.
It takes the total to 27,510 fatalities in hospitals, care homes and the wider community, up until 5pm on Thursday. Prime Minister
Boris Johnson is expected to hold a Cabinet meeting next Thursday – the day the Government is legally obliged to review the lockdown measures.
He promised two days ago to set out a “road map” next week.
Some measures could be eased – but others tightened – depending on the evidence presented by scientists advising the Government.
Mr Johnson is drawing up a plan on how to gradually reopen the economy in the coming weeks and months.
It will look at when children can return to school, how employees can travel to work and ways to make workplaces safer.
NHS England’s national medical director Prof Stephen Powis, who appeared alongside Mr Hancock yesterday, warned against opening classrooms too early. He explained
the “science is still evolving” on transmission of the virus between children, so the Government must be cautious.
He said new coronavirus cases had increased “a bit” in recent days, but that the increase in testing was “likely” to be behind it.
He went on: “Overall, I think the number is relatively stable and that is a good sign and reflects that the level of infection is falling.” Prof
Powis said officials will be studying whether stricter measures will have to continue to apply to the over-70s when the national lockdown is eased.
But he added: “The over-70s can be absolutely fit and healthy, it’s not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or underlying disease.
“As we look forward I think it’s a perfectly reasonable question to
say how would [easing the lockdown] work in age groups and age bands?
“Although we do know that complications and unfortunately deaths are more common in the elderly, even without complications, I think that’s for consideration and that’s work that we will need to do as we move forward.”
THE announcement yesterday that the Government has not just hit the 100,000 tests mark but far exceeded it is a truly remarkable achievement. By smashing the target with 122,000 tests in one day the national effort to defeat coronavirus is now truly on the front foot.
This newspaper never doubted that even though the testing target set on April 5 by Health Secretary Matt Hancock was by his own admission bold, he and his team would achieve it. But Mr Hancock is right to say that this is a tribute to the scientists, private sector companies, the NHS, Government ministers and many others who came together and in just a few weeks dramatically increased testing capacity.
While the death toll exceeding 27,000 is a sad reminder that we are only in the early stages of defeating this disease, we can say with some confidence that we are winning, largely thanks to the national effort in maintaining social distancing.
The Government deserves much praise for the leadership of Boris Johnson, Mr Hancock, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and others in leading us to this stage.
Of course there will always be those who quibble and try to belittle this country’s achievements in the hope of manufacturing some sort of political point-scoring, blame game, not least from some quarters of the Labour Party and broadcast media.
But this is a time to be positive and to focus on what needs to be done.
Mr Hancock’s words at the Downing Street podium yesterday were very apt when he noted that when major problems came up with increasing the tests those involved did not look for someone to blame but instead searched for solutions.
Coronavirus will bring about other great achievements. Increased supplies of protective gear as the private sector focuses on that problem is also bearing fruit.
Further down the road our scientists are making tremendous progress in finding a vaccine to protect against the disease.
In times of national crisis this country has always pulled together and achieved the impossible. Mr Hancock and all those involved in this testing miracle deserve all the praise they will get and more.