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Coronavirus: Is the UK testing enough people? Coronavirus: Is the UK testing enough people?
(about 20 hours later)
Testing is seen as key to tackling coronavirus and the UK hopes to rapidly increase the number of people tested in the coming weeks.Testing is seen as key to tackling coronavirus and the UK hopes to rapidly increase the number of people tested in the coming weeks.
But how does the UK's approach compare with that of other countries and who can get tested?But how does the UK's approach compare with that of other countries and who can get tested?
How many tests is the UK doing?How many tests is the UK doing?
The UK government says there is now capacity to carry out 11,000 tests a day. However, it has only been conducting about 9,000 each day, with just 7,000 people tested because some people need more than one test. The UK government says there is now capacity to carry out 11,000 tests a day. However, it has only been testing 7,000 people a day so far, with a total of about 9,000 separate swabs (because some people need more than one test).
It hopes to carry out 25,000 tests a day by mid-April.It hopes to carry out 25,000 tests a day by mid-April.
According to the latest figures, 127,737 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus so far. According to the latest figures, 134,946 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus so far.
The majority of these tests have been on seriously ill hospital patients with symptoms of the virus.The majority of these tests have been on seriously ill hospital patients with symptoms of the virus.
Testing is now being rolled out to NHS staff workers, to see whether they are currently infected and risk spreading it to others. Testing is now being rolled out to NHS staff workers to see whether they are currently infected.
Critical care doctors and nurses are being tested first, followed by staff in emergency departments, paramedics and GPs. Tests for social care workers will follow.Critical care doctors and nurses are being tested first, followed by staff in emergency departments, paramedics and GPs. Tests for social care workers will follow.
The government says this will give those who test negative "security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work". Why is Germany testing more than the UK?
How does this compare with the rest of the world? In total, 1,881 people per million UK citizens had been tested as of 29 March, compared with almost 6,000 tests per million in Germany.
The UK is lagging behind comparable countries like Italy, Germany and South Korea when it comes to how many tests are being carried out per million people. The UK did not act fast enough to make more labs available, according to Anthony Costello, former director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London (UCL).
In total, 1,881 people per million UK citizens have been tested, as of 29 March. He told the BBC that if the UK was using all of its molecular virology labs to process tests, it would be much closer to Germany's level of testing.
In comparison, Italy, whose outbreak is a fortnight ahead of the UK, had tested 7,513 people per million on 29 March and had tested 2,283 people per million at a similar point in its outbreak. The government minister Grant Shapps has insisted that the UK is on course to meet its target of 25,000 tests per day, and said that testing was "being ramped up very significantly".
Germany, which is at a similar stage to the UK, had already conducted 5,773 tests per million inhabitants by 26 March. And the US, which has rapidly scaled up its testing, reached 2,541 tests per million on 28 March. At first, Public Health England was only conducting the test at its own eight laboratories. Over the last two weeks it has rolled testing out further, to the NHS's network of pathology labs.
The government announced on Friday it would begin drawing on the laboratory capacity of universities and research institutes.
The UK is also lagging behind comparable countries like Italy, the US and South Korea when it comes to how many tests are being carried out per million people.
Italy, whose outbreak is a fortnight ahead of the UK, had tested 7,513 people per million on 29 March and had tested 2,283 people per million at a similar point in its outbreak.
However, the UK has tested more than Japan, where the rate is currently 257 per million (32,497 people in total).
The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "We cannot stop this pandemic if we do not know who is infected."The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "We cannot stop this pandemic if we do not know who is infected."
Can I get a test for coronavirus?Can I get a test for coronavirus?
At present, coronavirus testing is not being offered to the general public.At present, coronavirus testing is not being offered to the general public.
The UK does not have the resources in terms of equipment to do mass testing at the moment, although the government is trying to increase its capacity.The UK does not have the resources in terms of equipment to do mass testing at the moment, although the government is trying to increase its capacity.
The government has bought three-and-a-half million antibody tests which could show whether you recently had coronavirus, even if you had no symptoms.The government has bought three-and-a-half million antibody tests which could show whether you recently had coronavirus, even if you had no symptoms.
These could help work out how widespread the disease has been and whether people who may have been self-isolating - including vital NHS staff - are safe to go back to work.These could help work out how widespread the disease has been and whether people who may have been self-isolating - including vital NHS staff - are safe to go back to work.
On Monday, infectious disease expert Prof Neil Ferguson said that it was hoped the tests would start rolling out "within days". However, tests are being carried out to ensure they work before they are made available.On Monday, infectious disease expert Prof Neil Ferguson said that it was hoped the tests would start rolling out "within days". However, tests are being carried out to ensure they work before they are made available.
Antibody tests use a drop of blood on a device a bit like a pregnancy test.Antibody tests use a drop of blood on a device a bit like a pregnancy test.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
Can I buy a private test?Can I buy a private test?
You can, but Public Health England advises against it, as it says there is not yet enough information about them.You can, but Public Health England advises against it, as it says there is not yet enough information about them.
"It is not known whether either a positive or negative result is reliable," reads a statement on its website."It is not known whether either a positive or negative result is reliable," reads a statement on its website.
A private healthcare clinic in London defended its decision to charge £375 for a test.
Reports suggest other firms have also increased the price of their testing kits.