Government are ‘absolutely determined’ to hit 100,000 tests a day

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.”

He said the virus would “run rampant” if there were any hasty decisions on lifting the lockdown too early.

Local government minister Simon Clarke said on Tuesday, “We are absolutely determined across the whole of the UK to hit this target.

“As I say, we are going to move from 26 current testing facilities to 50. That will in turn obviously bring those centres closer to more people and make it more viable to go there.

“We’re increasing the groups of key workers who can go and be tested.”

A scientist has claimed that UK has “clearly passed the peak” as hospital coronavirus deaths has fallen during the “first wave” of the pandemic.

Oxford University’s Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute research centre as the UK recorded 449 deaths on Monday.

Professor Naismith said, “Although we have clearly passed the peak of the announced hospital deaths in this first wave, 449 deaths can never be thought of as any other than very sad news.

“The UK has been one of the hardest hit countries in this first wave and we still have to add in deaths from care homes and wider community.

“It is urgent that we learn what can be applied here so we do better.”

He added that he’s worried about “a simplistic narrative regarding testing,” which has been focused on as a possible way to release the UK’s lockdown in a safe manner.”

He said, “Testing is only one part of an identify, track, trace, test and isolate scheme.”