Covid trials get £500m funding as community testing pilot is rolled out

A new, community-wide trial in Salford is being launched today to assess the benefits of repeat population testing.

Existing trials in Southampton and Hampshire, using a saliva test and a rapid 20-minute test, will also be expanded using the new funding.

The Government hopes that by using this cutting-edge technology to widely roll out rapid tests, chains of Covid-19 transmission will be broken almost immediately.

The funding will also be used to further extend capacity for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing across the country, with all positive results being passed to the NHS Test and Trace system.

However, as the new funding package was unveiled health secretary Matt Hancock faced criticism of the central track and trace system amid reports that some people were being directed to centres 100 miles away.

The national system has also been repeatedly criticised in recent weeks for being less effective than local test and trace efforts such as the one in Greater Manchester being led by Wigan Council's director of public health Professor Kate Ardern.

Mr Hancock said the challenges being faced with the existing test and trace system was one reason the 20-minute tests were being trialled.

He said: “At the moment the system works well. Of course there are operational challenges from time to time but it works well.

“And we’re finding a higher and higher proportion of people in the country who have coronavirus and getting them tests so they can be looked after.

“But absolutely we need to roll out more testing – we have done throughout this crisis and today’s another step in solving some of those problems with the existing technology.”

The Government says it is also looking at the benefits of mass testing and how the programme can be improved and scaled up in time for winter.

The belief in Westminster is that technology, in the shape of tests which are easy to complete and give results in minutes, will be crucial to breaking the chains of Covid-19 transmission.

Mr Hancock said: "We need to use every new innovation at our disposal to expand the use of testing, and build the mass testing capability that can help suppress the virus and enable more of the things that make life worth living.

"We are backing innovative new tests that are fast, accurate and easier to use will maximise the impact and scale of testing, helping us to get back to a more normal way of life.

“I am hugely grateful for the work being done on this national effort to strengthen our ability to tackle this virus. While we work on a vaccine we must innovate our way out of this crisis.”

The Salford pilot involves a number of residents being invited for weekly tests.

Initially, the pilot will focus on a specific high-footfall location in the city, which includes retail, public services, transport and faith spaces.

It is hoped weekly tests will help to identify cases early, including for those with no or minor symptoms, allowing those testing positive to self-isolate.