UK still way off 100,000 test target and ‘won’t know’ if it’s reached

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said 29,058 tests had been carried out in England, Scotland and Wales in the 24 hours up to 9am on Saturday.

The latest testing statistics show the Government is way off meeting its target of 100,000 coronavirus tests each day by the end of the month.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that due to a ‘significant time lag’ in verifying test numbers, it is unlikely we will know if the target has been reached on Thursday.

Downing Street played down expectations after confirming that 29,058 tests had been carried out in England, Scotland and Wales in the 24 hours up to 9am on Saturday.

Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the latest numbers do not reflect the boost from the new testing portal, launched online by the Government on Friday.

He added that ‘it’s going to take a little while longer’ for it to be clear if 100,000 tests for Covid-19 – a figure produced by Matt Hancock earlier this month – are being carried out each day.

‘For example home testing kits can take up to 72 hours to get the results for and therefore show up in the numbers,’ the spokesman said.

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On Monday, all 10,000 home testing kits available were ordered in an hour while, as of 11.30am, around 18,000 of the 22,000 testing site slots had gone.

The spokesman also told a Downing Street press briefing that the PM has returned to work ‘full time’, taking back all of the responsibilities handed over to Dominic Raab when he was hospitalised with coronavirus.

‘In terms of responsibilities and duties, he will be doing all of those,’ the spokesman said, but he is not expected to front today’s Number 10 press conference at 5pm.

On the Government’s plan for altering lockdown, Mr Johnson is aiming to speak to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer this week to build a ‘consensus approach’ before making any changes to social distancing rules.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘He plans to speak with the leader of the Opposition this week and the leaders of all the Westminster parties next week, hopefully alongside the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser.’

Asked if there were plans for a Government of national unity, the spokesman said: ‘Not that I’m aware of.’

Downing Street was unable to specify exactly when in the ‘coming days’ the Government will give details on any changes to the lockdown rules, but it will be made clear by the end of the week how ministers will judge the ability to move into the second phase.

Mr Johnson has said the Government’s five tests must be met before changes are made, but his spokesman was unable to say which had been met.

‘The PM has said we will be setting out more details in the coming days,’ the spokesman said. ‘We’re coming through the peak and we will set out more information in due course.’

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