Boris Johnson admits UK does not have capacity to keep up with coronavirus test demands amid warnings of 'reality' of more deaths in second spike

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has admitted the nation does not have the capacity to keep up with coronavirus testing as he warned rising infection rates would lead to more deaths as the highest number of daily cases was recorded since May.

Ministers were warned today that they were unprepared for an expected second wave of coronavirus, as Mr Johnson said a second lockdown would be “wrong for this country” and “we are going to do everything in our power to prevent it”.

Appearing before MPs Mr Johnson was asked by Conservative Greg Clark: “Do we have, currently, enough testing capacity available?”

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The Prime Minister replied: “The short answer is, no we don’t.”

Boris Johnson gives evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee in the Boothroyd Room in the House of Commons, London, where he admitted there was not enough coronavirus testing capacity and promised that there would be capacity for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October. Photo: PABoris Johnson gives evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee in the Boothroyd Room in the House of Commons, London, where he admitted there was not enough coronavirus testing capacity and promised that there would be capacity for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October. Photo: PA
Boris Johnson gives evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee in the Boothroyd Room in the House of Commons, London, where he admitted there was not enough coronavirus testing capacity and promised that there would be capacity for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October. Photo: PA

The stark admission comes amid chaos at testing centres across the country. In Lancashire, hours of operation at several Covid-19 community tests sites have been reduced after people from outside local areas joined the queues.

Tests were also not available for people with coronavirus symptoms in some of England’s worst affected areas today.

Slots were offered in one of the 10 local authorities with the highest Covid-19 infection rates, as the testing system struggles to cope with soaring demand.

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Dr Patrick Roach, the general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said schools were struggling to cope with a lack of Covid-19 tests for pupils and staff as the situation is becoming “increasingly out of control”.

And a hospital boss in Bolton urged people to stay away from its accident and emergency unit unless strictly necessary after nearly 100 patients turned up to request tests.

Mr Johnson admitted there had been "huge problems" with NHS Test and Trace but promised that there would be capacity for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October.

He urged people without symptoms to stay away from testing centres – although he acknowledged the reasons why they may want to find out if they had Covid-19.

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“What has happened is demand has massively accelerated just in the last couple of weeks,” he told MPs.

The Prime Minister also downplayed the prospect of pregnancy-style tests which would deliver quick results.

Addressing the nation on live television last week, Mr Johnson had trumpeted the tests as part of his “moonshot” ambition, and said it could allow “millions” of tests to be carried out every day.

Subsequent government documents revealed by the British Medical Journal showed it was hoped an extra 10m tests a day could be added.

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But Mr Johnson said today: “I don’t recognise the figure that you have just given.

“But what I can tell you is that… there is an opportunity to do something that is wholly separate from the expansion of NHS Test and Trace, and that’s to see if we can get to a world in which there is a test and release system, as it were.”

But he admitted that technology was “a long way off... we are some way off having those instant pregnancy-style liberating tests”.

Asked about his aim of having a “pregnancy-style test” in place within months, Mr Johnson said: “I am going to be cautious and say that I can’t sit here today and say that we have such a ‘pregnancy-style test’… today.”

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Two further deaths were recorded in Yorkshire today in people who had previously tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the region’s total to at least 2,921. Nationally, 20 further deaths were reported, bringing the total to 46,706.

As of 9am today, there had been a further 3,991 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – the highest daily tally since May 8.

Mr Johnson said the disease was spreading from the young to the more vulnerable elderly, with the rate of cases among the over-80s doubling in just days – and warned that would “lead to mortality”.

“That is the reality,” he said.

Earlier, Labour warned that the nation is “staring down the barrel of a second wave with no plan for the looming crisis” as deputy leader Angela Rayner faced Boris Johnson in the Commons.

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During Prime Minister’s Questions today, Ms Rayner said: “People can’t say goodbye to their loved ones, grandparents can’t see their grandchildren and frontline staff can’t get the tests that they need – and what was the top priority for the Covid war cabinet this weekend? Restoring grouse shooting.”

Mr Johnson defended the Government’s efforts to boost testing, stating it compares “extremely well with any other European country”.

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