Does anyone know why if the capacity is over 100K now only 67K tests were performed when there are loads of people who cant get tests who need them?
Because only a subset of people can request a test currently (don’t have the exact figures but I think it’s about 10 million if showing symptoms) and the demand for testing amongst that subset is lower than current capacity. The list of those that can get a test is here and tests are available for everyone that qualifies. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested An obvious way to increase the number of tests would be to include the entire population (so about 60 million). However, I imagine it will be the track and trace system that determines who of the remaining 50 million are eligible once that’s up and running, so unlikely to see an expansion of the current subset until then.
Obviously we’ve been slow increasing testing capacity, but worth noting that for countries where daily testing data is available (over 150 countries) only Bahrain, Denmark, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Norway performed more tests per capita than the UK yesterday. Germany and Spain don’t publish daily tests data, but that list does include Italy, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and various other major economies.
A guess Because there was so little test capacity, the govt created guidelines to limit the people who were ‘entitled’ to a test, as lab capacity has increased, the infrastructure required to physically carry out the tests hasn’t kept up, the NHS still isn’t allowing enough people through the first barrier. in order to meet the next testing target, they’ll have to radically alter who they’re accepting as a test candidate. last week it was possible to get a test if you worked for the NHS, but still some people who did were refused. It’s now open for all key workers AFAIK but reports from test sites are still appalling.
To be fair, the actual number isn't important. Its just that they made such a song and dance about hitting the 100k tests a day mark - then moving the goalposts so they passed it for one day by counting anyone who used the word "test". If they'd have just said that they weren't guaranteeing any numbers but we will test as many as is possible and we will keep testing and upping the number each day - then I don't think there's an issue. Its the usual cloak and daggers.
Testing should be for the entire country regardless of symptoms. Pick a village, send one army person per street to help take samples and you'll have an entire village done in a few hours.
At current capacity (100k per day), it would take 660 days to test the entire country - 22 months. At 200k per day, 11 months. At 1million/day, 2 months.
This is not a dig at you db In essence that is a great idea. However, how can the govt ministers get their backhanders for testing when it's up to soldiers, they need to be looking at their mates in the big accountancy firms who can't really add figures up, or sign off dodgy accounts, or other private companies they can send up with a directorship of sometime in the future???? Please think of the poor ministers first. They need all they can get...
The target was set to cover up the lack of testing capabilities at the beginning of the month, then it became a political target which they failed to meet no matter how many times they tell us they did.
Yeah it's way too slow. Make use of the army and you could test hundreds of thousands a day. Something needs to be done because tests have gone down a few tens of thousands but infections are at the 6k level that's rarely hit.
That's 40k more tests than yesterday on only 10k more people (71000''''still well short of the 100k promised). Wonder if a job lot have been posted again
What’s the point in testing if your showing symptoms you,ve got it. It’s the people that are not showing symptoms they need to check ie the whole population.
