Testing will get life back on track
IF OPENING the skies would prevent Ba losing £60 billion then why should anyone complain about the estimated £100 billion a year cost of Operation Moonshot for mass testing? It’s a nobrainer for industry and the economy. What is more questionable is the ability of government agencies to process results for one million Covid tests a day, never mind ten million. However, we can be confident that technology will provide an answer for speedy mass airport testing before the wished-for vaccine.
PETER SIMPSON, Pinner, Middlesex.
WE ASKED for testing in airports, the reopening of workplaces, a proper track and test system and the trade deal we were promised with Europe. and what do we get? The pointless, unenforceable rule of six.
JOHN PARTRIDGE, Porto Petro, Mallorca.
I WAS disappointed to hear criticism of people going to Covid-19 test centres before holidaying abroad. For a family holiday to Cyprus, we would need to be able to provide documents proving we are all Covid negative. Each private test costs between £160 and £250. The nine of us have worked for the past six months without a break, but can’t afford this expense on top of the cost of flights and a hotel. There will be no holiday abroad for us this year.
J. BENNETT, address supplied.
MY SON had Covid-19 symptoms so requested a home testing kit. It was delivered, he did the test and it was picked up by a courier early the next morning. When he hadn’t heard anything after several days, he phoned for the result only to be told the test hadn’t arrived or had been lost. He was told that as he was feeling a lot better he could return to work. He won’t be getting paid for his time off without proof he had Covid.
J. RIDDELL, orpington, Gtr London.
IF BRITAIN is to start flying again, the airlines need to take action. Instead of bleating about having to lay off cabin crew and ground aircrafts, why don’t they train their staff to test passengers and make travelling safer by changing the configuration of plane seats.
JEAN GIBSON, Seaton, Cumbria.
WHY are many test centres for over-18s only? My ten-year-old son has symptoms and is not allowed to return to school — and I can’t go to work — until he’s had a test. I rang 119 and waited for 40 minutes, only to be told it is difficult to get a test and to keep on trying. I attempted to use centres an hour away, but no test slots were available.
MAXINE FRYER, Aylesbury, Bucks.