TESTING TIMES
Boris Johnson reveals government is still nearly 20,000 short of coronavirus test target ahead of tonight’s deadline
BORIS Johnson has tonight admitted the government is almost 20,000 coronavirus tests short of its target - as the deadline for 100,000 tests per day nears.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock had pledged that there would be 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, tomorrow.
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But during tonight's Downing Street press conference, the prime minister - who returned to work on Monday after battling Covid-19 - said yesterday 81,611 tests were carried out.
The number of tests done either by the NHS or at temporary, mass testing sites around the country rises every day - and we won't know until tomorrow if the country has hit its target.
In total, 901,905 have been completed.
There are 15,043 people in hospital at the moment battling with the disease. In total, 26,771 have now died.
It comes as:
- UK coronavirus death toll hits 26,711 as 674 more die
- Boris promises plan next week for lockdown exit as we pass peak
- PM reveals Gov is still nearly 20,000 test short of their target
- Brits WILL be asked to wear face masks after lockdown ends, confirms Boris
Mr Johnson acknowledged the difficulties faced in getting enough tests completed.
"We are determined to overcome those challenges that have been so knotty and so infuriating," he told the country.
"We are throwing everything at it.
"Heart and soul, night and day, to get it right.
"We we will get it right."
'WE'RE PAST THE PEAK'
However, he said he now believes the country has passed the peak of the illness.
"For the first time we are past the peak of this disease. We are past the peak and on downwards slope. "We have so many reasons to be hopeful for the long term," he said.
But he cautioned against lifting the lockdown too early in case it leads to a second wave.
"We have come through the peak - or rather we've come under what could have been a vast peak, as though we've been going through some vast alpine tunnel, and we can now see the sunlight and the pasture ahead of us," he said.
"It is vital that we don't lose control and run slap into a second and bigger mountain."
Speaking this morning, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland conceded the Government was struggling to meet the target.
'LIKELY THAT WE WON'T MAKE THE TARGET'
He said: “Even if we don’t hit it, and it’s probable we won’t, we will in the next few days.
“It was right to set an ambitious target.
“The direction of travel is the most important thing, and I believe we will get there and then go past it, because we need more.
"I am frustrated of course but I am encouraged to see the rate of increase in the number of testing has gone up every day."
Earlier this month Mr Hancock had unveiled a five point plan to get to 100,000 tests a day by the end of April - and 250,000 after that.
It included:
- A vow to carry out 25,000 swab tests a day in NHS hospitals and PHE labs to test patients for Covid-19, by the end of April - up from 10k a day now
- Creation of new swab testing capacity with help of commercial partners including Amazon, Boots and universities in new labs and testing sites for NHS staff and their families
- 'Game-changing' antibody tests to tell if people have had coronavirus, and are immune to it. Finger-prick blood test takes as little as 20 minutes, and Government is working with nine companies to test whether they work. But could take up to 28 days to show best results
- Virus surveillance, using the antibody test to understand the rate of infection and how the virus is spreading across the UK. Key to helping us exit the crisis.
- Build the British diagnostic industry "at scale" - with the pharmaceutical industry, including major drugs firms Astra Zeneca and GSK
All NHS staff will be able to have a test by the end of the month, he promised.
The Health Secretary said he was working hard to get testing numbers up but that there are "no guarantees in life".
Mr Hancock has been dogged by criticism over failing to meet testing targets, and as of yesterday just 52,000 tests were carried out in the 24 hours to 9am.
He has blamed a lack of demand for the low testing numbers and has continually said the "capacity is there" for any key workers that need it.
Yesterday home-test kits ran out again in just 80 minutes after the Government expanded testing to 25million people.
The website ran out of home test kits at 9.20am Wednesday morning after everyone over-65 was told they can apply if they have symptoms.
Just 14,700 tests kits were made available at 8am, with all of them ordered by 9:30am.
Ministers had initially offered just 5,000 home test kits a day when the website was launched last Friday.
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