Britain running short of test kits

As cases hit 183,000, New Year plans in peril amid scramble for lateral flows

NEW Year’s Eve plans for millions were thrown into chaos last night by a dire shortage of Covid tests.

Boris Johnson yesterday repeated his call for people to get tested before celebrating with friends and family.

But rapid swab kits were not available online and pharmacies warned they had run out too. Appointments for drive-through and walk-in Covid tests were unavailable for hours yesterday – even for doctors, nurses and carers.

As the UK reported a record 183,037 virus cases, there were fears the supply crisis could stop staff taking tests to leave self-isolation and return to work. NHS bosses warned personnel shortages could be exacerbated.

The lack of tests will also make it harder for people to know whether they have the virus before ringing in 2022 with loved ones.

MPs urged ministers to get a grip and the Government last night announced almost eight million Covid kits would be made available to pharmacies by Friday.

Next month’s order of lateral flow tests

‘There is no magic wand’

has also been increased three-fold to 300million. In other developments:

■ Pressure mounted on the Prime Minister to follow America’s lead and reduce the home quarantine period to five days;

■ The number estimated to be isolating rose to 875,000;

■ Doctors said up to 90 per cent of patients in some intensive care units have not had a booster jab;

■ Almost one in three hospital patients with Covid were admitted for an unrelated condition;

■ A review next week may axe prereturn virus tests for travellers;

■ Pubs, bars and restaurants reported losing more than £10,000 each on average in the week leading up to Christmas;

The Government had been insisting there were adequate lateral flow tests, which allow those without symptoms to check at home whether they have coronavirus.

They had lifted the December order from 120million to 300million and blamed supply problems on delivery constraints.

But in a briefing to a Tory MP yesterday, Sajid Javid admitted Britain was struggling to get hold of enough tests.

Speaking after his call with the Health Secretary, Sir Roger Gale said: ‘Saj was very open about it. He said, look there is no magic wand. There’s no quick fix to this.

‘Originally it was a delivery problem, now it’s a supply and delivery problem. He was very upfront and straight about it. He said there is a world shortage of lateral flow tests.’

The MP for North Thanet added: ‘The British company making them has cranked up its production by four times and is now producing 20million a week instead of five million. We the Brits are buying all those, plus anything else we can get our hands on, but we are competing with everybody else on a worldwide market.’

Sir Roger said shortages risked hurting the hospitality industry if customers struggled to get the reassurance that they could enjoy New Year’s Eve safely.

Mr Javid apparently also told the MP the number of PCR tests was limited due to a lack of lab capacity.

The Prime Minister yesterday acknowledged rising cases and hospital admissions but said Omicron was ‘obviously milder’ than the Delta strain. And he reiterated his call for people to enjoy New Year’s Eve in a ‘cautious and sensible way’ by taking a test beforehand.

But his colleagues struggled to answer questions on supply issues.

Chloe Smith, work and pensions minister, insisted it was a ‘good thing’ that so many wanted to be tested ahead of New Year’s Eve.

Asked if those who cannot get a test should not go out, she told Radio 4’s World At One: ‘I’m not in a position to dole out advice on that basis, but that the Government is making sure that there is capacity in the testing system.’

For most of the day yesterday, the Government website showed there were no home delivery slots available for lateral flow tests, but officials insisted they were adding new ones every few hours.

Throughout yesterday morning the website showed ‘no tests available’ across every region of England for people with symptoms looking for PCR tests, although this was later updated to provide tests in all regions. Some households in Essex were told their nearest available appointment at a testing site was in Scotland.

The NHS is advising people to routinely swab themselves for Covid-19 twice a week using lateral flow tests. But Leyla Hannbeck, of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said patients were often unable to find tests in chemists because of ‘patchy’ and ‘inconsistent’ supplies.

Chris Hopson of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said: ‘Trust leaders are reporting delays in the return of PCR test results and problems accessing lateral flow tests.

‘Given the current pressures on the NHS due to staff absences, it’s vital that NHS staff get prompt access to the tests they need to ensure they can return to work as quickly as possible.’

The UK Health Security Agency said: ‘We are delivering record numbers of lateral flow tests to pharmacies across the country, with almost eight million test kits being made available to pharmacies between today and New Year’s Eve.

‘We have made 100,000 more PCR booking slots available per day since mid-December and we are continuing to rapidly expand capacity. If you have not been able to get the test you need from gov.uk, keep checking every few hours.’

WITH pathetic opportunism, Labour hopped off the fence last night to brand the Covid test shortages a ‘shambles’.

Of course, the party has had plenty of opportunities to explain how it would handle the pandemic… and has cravenly ducked every single one.

No one denies Boris Johnson has blundered during this nightmare. But compare today’s situation with a year ago, when England was trapped in almost total lockdown, and he deserves a pat on the back.

Yes, the chronic scarcity of tests is a problem of the Government’s own making. Only, though, because the PM has desperately tried to let us live our lives.

Instead of scuppering Christmas and New Year with lockdown measures (as, to intense fury, the socialist regimes in Scotland and Wales have), he has trusted the public to behave responsibly.

As a result, there has been unprecedented demand for swabs. That is a mark of success in itself. However, ministers must tackle the test shortages urgently.

That is a core plank of protecting the nation and keeping it running. In upbeat remarks, Mr Johnson said Omicron was ‘obviously milder’ than previous variants.

Almost a third of patients with Covid in hospital are ‘incidental’ admissions, having tested positive after checking in for other reasons (still, the failure to publish such vital data more often is unforgivable).

And the vast majority in intensive care haven’t had boosters – proof jabs work.

But if nearly a million self-isolating people cannot get swabs, they can’t leave house arrest after seven days. Shops, hospitals, schools, supply chains and trains are already at risk of grinding to a juddering halt in socalled Pingdemic Mk II. The lack of tests will turn a crisis into a disaster.

To ease any staff shortages, the Prime Minister must also cut quarantine to five days. Confining the healthy to their homes needlessly will hamper the economy and society – and our attempts to rebuild this Covid-battered country.