News / Reports

UK rolls out new rapid Covid-19 tests

Tuesday, 04 August 2020 9:51 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 04 August 2020 10:50 PM ]

Amina Taylor

Press TV, London

Mass testing, with a rapid result time of 90 minutes could be what stands between the UK and a deadly second wave overwhelming the already beleaguered National health Service.

The two tests, Lampore and Dnanudge will be rolled out as Britain prepares to face the pandemic in winter. Both tests can be administered by none-health professionals.

There will be increased capacity at hospitals, care homes and laboratories starting from next week comprising 5.8 million tests using DNA and 450,000 swab tests.

This news could not have come sooner for Boris Johnson’s administration. The government has been at the receiving end harsh criticism for not just its failure to properly manage the pandemic, leading to some of the highest death tolls in the world but also for the disastrous way it has dealt with lockdown measures. Only last week tens of thousands of families celebrating Eid had their plans interrupted after last minute restrictions were implemented without warning.

With any return to a ‘new normal’ hinging on a comprehensive test and trace system, those in the UK will be hoping this announcement is at least the start of the Covid-19 fight back. The government has missed its own targets before with devastating consequences and observers hope this is not a case of history repeating itself.

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