Council unable to provide Covid testing kits as supplies dry up
COUNTY SAYS GOVERNMENT HAS NOT MET ORDERS – BUT IN CITY AVAILABILITY STILL ‘CONSISTENT’
COMMUNITY centres and mobile testing vans have been forced to halt distribution of Covid-19 tests after the government failed to meet orders.
Leicestershire County Council said it has had to stop supplying lateral flow tests (LFTs) to libraries and community centres, as well as being unable to equip its own mobile testing vans.
A spokesman for the council said: “Like other organisations, Leicestershire County Council is reliant on the government to supply it with LFT kits.
“In recent weeks the council’s orders of new testing kits have not been met and that has affected distribution at a time when demand is very high.
“We have previously been making LFT kits available to residents at our libraries, community centres and through our mobile testing vans.
“We are grateful so many people have taken up that option but at the moment the supply issues have meant we have not been able to continue that offering that.”
The Well, a community centre in Kibworth Beauchamp, is one of the sites impacted by the lack of supplies.
In a tweet last week, a spokesman said: “We have no LFT kits left to hand out to residents.
“We’ve requested further supplies from Leicestershire County Council but they are unable to advise when further stocks will be available due to unprecedented demand.”
A spokesman for the UK Health Authority Agency said: “The UK’s testing programme is the biggest in Europe with more than 400 million tests carried out since the start of the pandemic.
“We are delivering record numbers of lateral flow tests to pharmacies across the country, with nearly 8 million test kits being made available to pharmacies this week alone.
“During periods of exceptional demand there may be temporary pauses in ordering or receiving tests, to ensure we manage distribution across the system and support changing requirements.”
People are advised to check the government website throughout the day as supplies may become available where they were not before.
Anyone who needs to book a walkin PCR test should do the same, it is advised.
Meanwhile, Leicester City Council said supply in the city remains consistent and people should check their pharmacy if they needs tests.
Laura French, acting consultant in public health at the city council, said: “Demand for lateral flow testing kits has been high over the festive period, but pharmacies in Leicester are taking delivery of new stock each day, so people should be able to find testing kits locally.”
The council said it is supporting schools in their return to class following the Christmas break and is working to make sure it continues to have enough tests for pupils.
A spokesman said: “Most schools had supplies of lateral flow tests topped up before Christmas but these may be used up soon.
“There are no issues with the capacity to carry out lateral flow tests on-site.
“We are in contact with the Department for Education to ensure it can continue to provide adequate supplies.”
All schools in the city and county have been able to reopen.