An investigation by journalists at The Independent into the testing for Covid-19 and reporting of test results found a number of major flaws in the process due to the setting up of the private Lighthouse Labs. These included privatised labs often taking 72 hours from the time they received tests to determine a result whereas local labs could give results in six hours from the point the test is taken. Other findings included: sidelining of local public health directors, problems with accuracy, variability in standards between sites, and lack of access to the test results for local health officials.
Despite the warnings, the report says that the government is understood to be pressing ahead with its Lighthouse Laboratory scheme with plans to create seven more across the UK.
Full story in The Independent, 29 June 2020
