Amazon could deliver coronavirus self-testing kits across UK

Amazon could deliver coronavirus self-testing kits to homes across the UK which will deliver throat swabs in a pilot programme “using Amazon logistics.”

The throat swabs are picked up an hour later after the sample has been taken, then a text message sends the person’s results within 48 hours, The Times have reported.

Amazon and the Department for Heath did not confirm The Times report.

Downing Street confirmed on Thursday the government now has the capacity to test 35,000 people a day.

The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) said that NHS labs are struggling to source testing kits, which has cast doubt on the ability to reach Hancock’s end-of-the-month target of 100,000 tests a day.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said there were 15,994 tests carried out in the 24 hours up to 9am on Wednesday, in Wales Scotland and England.

Total testing capacity through public facilities included 20,771 with a further 14,300 testing though commercial facilities.

The Prime Ministers spokesman said, “We have been very clear, that where there is spare capacity available that should be used on NHS staff, on their families, and in social care.”

However, Allan Wilson the IBMS President said the issue is lack of testing kits and not NHS lab capacity.

Wilson said in a statement, “The 17,000 NHS laboratory workers that I represent are increasingly expressing their frustration.

“They have applied themselves innovatively to increase Covid-19 testing capacity and have the platforms ready so that the NHS laboratories are able to meet the Secretary of State’s ambitious target, but they are still not able to source the testing kits and reagents they require.

“It concerns me when I see significant investments being made in mass testing centres that are planning to conduct 75,000 of the 100,000 tests a day.

“These facilities would be a welcome resource and take pressure off the NHS if the issue around testing was one of capacity.

“However, we are clear that it is a global supply shortage holding biomedical scientists back, not a lack of capacity.”

Professor Neil Fergusson who is the government top scientist advisor accused the government of acting too slowly over mass testing of the population.

Professor Fergusson said mass testing is the only key to ease the lockdown measures as only then will the government know how many people actually have the virus, or are now immune.

The Professor from Imperial College London has called on the government for “decisions to be accelerated.”