DIVERT THE
Funding fear as doubts raised
TOWN hall teams finally being allowed to take over the failed Covid-19 testing scheme fear they will be given no extra funding to do so.
Boris Johnson promised his new mass- testing plan would be a “powerful new weapon”.
But councils have not been told whether they will get any of the £12billion allocated to the flopped private scheme – or anything at all.
And medical experts have expressed doubts over the tests – being trialled in Liverpool under Operation Moonshot – after it was revealed the one being used may not work on people who show no
coronavirus symptoms. Makers
Innova say they have not evaluated it “for use in patients without signs and symptoms of respiratory infection”.
The company adds: “Performance may differ in asymptomatic individuals.”
It also says it is intended only for use when symptoms have started in the past five days – and should be administered by trained staff.
Some 2,000 soldiers have been drafted in to help roll out the £106million Liverpool scheme to the city’s entire population of 500,000.
Jolyon Maugham QC, whose Good Law Project is challenging the pilot in court, said: “It