A report from the National Audit Office has found that almost 600m lateral flow tests given to the public in England may not yet have been used and that the hugely expensive test-and-trace system is still bedevilled by problems.
The NAO said Test and Trace, which Boris Johnson promised would be world-beating and has a budget exceeding that of the Department for Transport, was struggling with some “fundamental parts” of its role.
In a move to help track and suppress the spread of coronavirus, T&T distributed 691m quick-result tests to people across England with the aim of helping people to return to workplaces. The NAO said results from only 14% of them had been registered, meaning almost 600m had gone unaccounted for.
Full story in The Guardian, 25 June 2021
