Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 194
194
Accepted
During the summer of 2020, rates of covid infection declined markedly in most parts of...
Recommendation
During the summer of 2020, rates of covid infection declined markedly in most parts of the United Kingdom. Average hospitalisations from covid fell to 119 per day on 1 August 2020 compared to 3,000 per day in early April. Yet as soon as infections began to rise in September 2020—when schools, universities and many workplaces returned after the summer holidays—the test and trace system was found once again wanting. A period of relative calm in August did not appear to have been used to anticipate and prepare for what was likely to be needed during the Autumn. 289 GOV.UK, ‘Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 September 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 290 GOV.UK, ‘Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 September 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 291 Independent, ‘Boris Johnson’s plans for mass coronavirus testing may not work, government’s top scientific adviser warns’, 10 September 2020 292 Multidisciplinary Task and Finish Group on Mass Testing, Consensus Statement for SAGE, 31 August 2020 293 GOV.UK, ‘Liverpool to be regularly tested for coronavirus in first whole city testing pilot: 3 November 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 294 GOV.UK, Twice weekly rapid testing to be available to everyone in England: 5 April 2021, accessed 17 September 2021 295 National Audit Office, The government’s approach to test and trace in England—interim report, 11 December 2020, page 36 296 British Medical Journal, Government plans to spend £100bn on expanding testing to 10 million a day, 9 September 2020 297 Multidisciplinary Task and Finish Group on Mass Testing, Consensus Statement for SAGE, 31 August 2020 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 69
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation to ensure robust plans for rapidly scaling up test, trace, and isolate programmes in future health emergencies. It highlights UKHSA's existing capacity for PCR and LFD testing, its ability to scale up within 72 hours, and its commitment to continuing to develop these capabilities and ensure resilient infrastructure.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The government accepts this recommendation. The government agrees with the Committees that it is vital to ensure that, in future health emergencies, the UK has robust plans and the capabilities to rapidly scale up test, trace and isolate programmes. The government has already taken steps to ensure that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has the capability and capacity to maintain central surge capacity for testing and contact tracing during a public health emergency. UKHSA has the capacity to conduct 700,000 PCR tests per day and scale this up to 800,000 PCR tests per day in 72 hours. UKHSA also has the capacity to deliver 2.5 million Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests per day. The government will continue to develop its capacity to enable early and effective detection of disease through testing and surveillance, and to intervene to stop the spread of infection through contact tracing and isolation. Looking ahead, the government will ensure that a resilient and scalable infrastructure is in place to protect the public from new and existing threats to health, building on the legacy of the response to this pandemic as set out in the ‘Living with COVID-19’ strategy.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗