Recommendation 17

We are aware that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the government’s regulatory body which approves medical devices, approved 51 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/staggered-rollout-of-coronavirus-testing-for-secondary-schools- and-colleges; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-asymptomatic-testing-in- schools-and-colleges/coronavirus-covid-19-asymptomatic-testing-in-schools-and-colleges; https://www.gov.uk/ government/news/all-students-offered-testing-on-return-to-university 52 Qq 13, 16–17, 118 53 C&AG’s Report paras 1.28–1.29 54 Q 117 55 For example:https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/the-implications-of-rapid-testing-for-nhs-workers; https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4436 56 See, for example, https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4916 57 Q 116; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-on-the-accuracy-of-lateral-flow-device-testing/ evidence-summary-for-lateral-flow-devices-lfd-in-relation-to-care-homes 58 https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/research/news/articles/covid-19-liverpool-community-testing-pilot-interim-findings- published/ 59 Microsoft Word - Deeks Response 210114.docx (liverpool.ac.uk) COVID-19: Test, track and trace (part 1) 15 the LFD test in December 2020.60 However, we are concerned at media reports that it had advised the Department against using LFD tests in schools for daily testing of contacts of people with COVID-19 (as an alternative to self-isolation), because of the false assurance it may give to those testing negative.61 NHST&T contended that it had worked closely with MHRA on “all the rolling out of different testing protocols”, including piloting and rolling out LFD tests in schools. It confirmed that it was continuing with the process of rolling out LFD tests for people returning to school and for weekly testing of school staff, and that by the time of our session “up to 250,000 lateral flow tests were registered by schools”.62 Despite this, on 21 January, three days af