The government has ordered 2 million of the first British-manufactured tests for use in asymptomatic testing.
The government has ordered 2 million of the first British-manufactured rapid lateral flow antigen tests for COVID-19 to be validated by Public Health England, for use in asymptomatic testing, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.
Derby-based company SureScreen Diagnostics is to provide 2 million of the lateral flow tests, which provide results in under 30 minutes, by next Friday (15 January), with the potential to provide millions more in the coming months.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
It is excellent to be working with a UK firm to deliver millions of these rapid tests, which are being deployed across the country to help protect our communities and most vital public services.
Roughly one in three people with COVID-19 don’t display symptoms, meaning you can infect others unknowingly. This is why asymptomatic testing is so crucial in our fight against the virus, and why I’m so grateful to see the British diagnostics industry use their ingenuity and expertise in our shared purpose to protect our communities.
Craig Whittaker MP said:
Representing a constituency renowned for its high-quality manufacturing services and industrial roots, I am pleased that we are supporting British manufacturing suppliers in our efforts to suppress coronavirus.
These new rapid tests give accurate results in under 30 minutes and will support the targeted community testing programme that has been underway since December in Calder Valley schools and higher risk workplaces including frontline staff.
David Campbell, Director of SureScreen, said:
We believe our rapid antigen tests can really help in screening people both in the community and in clinical settings. Routine testing is crucial to help business and schools as well as hospitals and GPs.
We are delighted to be working with DHSC on this project and that our tests have been recognised by the government and its scientists. We look forward to doing all we can to help the UK going forward in 2021.
Under the government’s Winter Plan, NHS Test and Trace is already deploying hundreds of thousands of rapid tests to identify asymptomatic cases in care homes, across the NHS, in critical infrastructure workplaces and food manufacturers, and in partnership with local directors of public health.
In addition to this, the government’s community testing programme is providing asymptomatic testing through local authorities across the UK. The SureScreen tests will form part of this important asymptomatic testing activity.
The valuable partnerships being created with companies such as SureScreen Diagnostics are further contributing to the resilience of the UK, both through supporting the work of UK diagnostics manufacturers and by harnessing the possibilities opened up by rapid regular testing.