Testing News

NHS Test and Trace to offload 6,000 staff

News | Published August 11th 2020

NHS Test and Trace to offload 6,000 staff

The government has said that 6,000 staff will be cut from the NHS Test and Trace system in England by the end of the month, following criticism of its efficiency.

Burnham: Government will need to consider trade-offs if Test and Trace is not “fixed”

News | Published August 10th 2020

Burnham: Government will need to consider trade-offs if Test and Trace is not “fixed”

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has warned that the government may need to consider trade-offs such as closing pubs to allow schools to reopen safely if the NHS Test and Trace system is not “fixed urgently”.

ONS figures show levelling out of Covid-19 cases

News | Published August 8th 2020

ONS figures show levelling out of Covid-19 cases

According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics [ONS] Infection Pilot Survey released on Friday, Covid-19 cases in the UK are now levelling out or in decline despite a recent increase.

Preston among the latest areas to impose local lockdown restrictions

News | Published August 7th 2020

Preston among the latest areas to impose local lockdown restrictions

Preston Council has told residents of the city to abide by restrictions currently in place elsewhere in the north west and West Yorkshire following a rise in cases in the area, the Telegraph reports.

Quarantine should have been in place earlier, committee says

News | Published August 5th 2020

Quarantine should have been in place earlier, committee says

The Home Affairs Committee has said that the government could have curbed the spread of Covid-19 in the UK if it had introduced its quarantine on arrivals into the country at an earlier stage.

Minister insists schools will reopen in autumn despite warnings

News | Published August 4th 2020

Minister insists schools will reopen in autumn despite warnings

Minister for regional growth and local government, Simon Clarke, has said that schools will “reopen in full” in the autumn, despite a recent study warning that it could bring about a more severe second wave of Covid-19 cases.

Government extends virus self-isolation period to ten days

News | Published July 30th 2020

Government extends virus self-isolation period to ten days

The government has changed its Covid-19 self-isolation guidance, telling individuals displaying symptoms to self-isolate for ten days as opposed to seven.

Airport testing no “silver bullet” says Dowden

News | Published July 29th 2020

Airport testing no “silver bullet” says Dowden

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has warned that Covid-19 testing at UK airports will not work as a “silver bullet” preventing the need for quarantine on arrival.