Lack of testing capacity in Covid hotspots is 'a disaster,' warns professor

14 September 2020, 19:02

Professor of public health brands test shortage a 'disaster'

By Seán Hickey

As LBC reveal England's top ten coronavirus hot spots have no access to testing, this public health expert lambasts the Government for not being prepared - despite it happening in Scotland.

The University of Edinburgh's Professor Linda Bauld was speaking to Eddie Mair after an LBC exclusive revealed that the top ten areas in England with the highest rates of Covid-19 infection have no access to testing.

"This is obviously a disaster," she began.

The Professor of Public Health told Eddie: "We should have all expected this, because this happened in Scotland two and a half, three weeks ago."

Professor Bauld went on to explain that "the labs simply can't process the tests quickly enough" due to the rise in demand since schools reopened in England.

No Covid testing available in hotspot areas, LBC finds

Eddie wondered asked how big a difficulty is it that this test and trace system is patently not working; an observation he made after LBC's Westminster correspondent Ben Kentish found that supply is not able to meet the demand for tests in England.

Professor Bauld told Eddie that "we absolutely need to get on top of this" and it is evidently an issue when the highest risk areas are unable to access testing.

She added that the real risk is people going to work or out in public in general without getting tested while having symptoms, which could become a problem if this issue isn't addressed.

Professor Bauld concluded "this is the wrong time for this to be happening" because of the inherent rise in cases in the UK.

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify