Routine mass testing key to getting society back ‘out there’

A WELSH firm is to play a key role in the bid to produce a vaccine against Covid-19.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology giant Wockhardt’s announced yesterday that it has signed a deal with the UK Government to aid the production of a vaccine as soon as possible.

Work on coronavirus vaccines could start as early as next month at the firm’s plant in Wrexham.

The 18-month partnership will see the business provide “critical fill-andfinish” services, which involves dispensing the manufactured vaccine substance into vials ready for it to be distributed.

Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said the agreement demonstrated “the importance of Welsh manufacturers in the UK’s fight against coronavirus”.

He added: “Securing this manufacturing capacity means that safe and effective vaccines, produced in Wales, will potentially be distributed rapidly to people across the UK.”

Kate Bingham, chairman of the Vaccines Taskforce, said: “Never before have we needed to find and manufacture a vaccine at this speed and scale in order to protect the UK.

“We have made significant progress in securing a diverse portfolio of potential vaccines and treatments for Covid-19, adding a fourth vaccine candidate from GSK and Sanofi earlier this week.

“However, discovering a successful vaccine is only part of the solution, we also need to be able to manufacture it.”

Meanwhile, mass testing the public for Covid-19 could lead to the rest of society being able to reopen - including sports grounds and theatres, one expert has said.

Gordon Sanghera, chief executive of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, said that mass testing could lead to the introduction of health passports which would allow people who test negative for Covid-19 “access all areas”.

Introducing tests for everyone once or twice a week would mean that people who have the virus but who are not yet showing symptoms could be “taken out of society and quarantined to minimise infection”, he said.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies is one of two companies which has introduced a rapid coronavirus test which promises results within 90 minutes.

The Department of Health and Social Care announced that two tests which can detect coronavirus and flu are to be rolled out in hospitals, care homes and laboratories.

The swab and DNA tests will help deal with the virus in winter, enabling clinicians and NHS Test and Trace to differentiate between Covid-19, which requires sufferers to undergo specific self-isolation, and other seasonal illnesses, the Department of Health said.

It announced plans for millions of tests - LamPORE swab tests by Oxford Nanopore and DnaNudge DNA test machines - to be rolled out across health and care settings.

But experts behind the tests said that there are far reaching implications for the innovations - such as the possibility of reopening sporting grounds or live music events.

Mr Sanghera said the way to getting society back “out there” was routine mass testing.

He told the PA news agency: “The way to get everybody back to work, back to school, back to university, back to bars and restaurants, back to the theatre, back to your favourite sports, is to have routine mass testing; find people.

“Then asymptomatic people can be taken out of society and quarantine to minimise infection. Whilst all being back out there.”

He said Covid-19 will be around for some time, but added: “The innovation we’re bringing to the table today, and others (will help create) capability to be able to do mass routine testing week in, week out for everybody.

“And that will allow us to open up bars, restaurants, football grounds, rugby, sport, theatres, everything.

“All of that can come back and it wouldn’t be that difficult to have a health passport where you test once a week. And if you’re actively tested and negative. You’ve, you know, access all areas if you like.”

The company is going to start routinely testing all employees next week so they drop a saliva sample first thing in the morning to a test centre with results back by lunch.

The test will be available commercially in the next two to three weeks and will cost around £20 to £40 per test.

Meanwhile, The DnaNudge Covid test, does not need complex healthcare training for its implementation.

Only simple training is required to deliver the tests, meaning that people who are not healthcare staff can administer the tests.

“It’s bringing the lab to the patient, rather than the patient to the lab,” Professor Chris Toumazou, co-founder of DnaNudge told PA.

Care homes, GP and dental surgeries could be next to receive the test and other emergency services. Schools would also benefit.

Then further sectors of society will be able to employ rapid testing facilities.

The test, which is commercially available, will cost between £30 and £40.