Health chiefs are in talks to use British-made coronavirus saliva tests instead of swabs

A British-made saliva test for the coronavirus could replace swabs and help Boris Johnson meet the 24-hour result target time. The Government is reportedly in talks with epigenetics company Chronomics about its test – two months after the US approved a similar one. The kit, which requires someone to spit into a tube, is easier … Read more

Government will trial antigen swabs than can tell if someone has coronavirus in 20-minutes

Testing efforts have been ramped up as the Government has announced it will trial antigen swabs than can tell if someone has coronavirus ‘on the spot’, and 10million antibody tests have been ordered.   Around 4,000 patients in a pilot study in Hampshire will be the first to try the new antigen test, which looks for signs … Read more

NHS trusts ‘are sending swabs to Germany for coronavirus checks because the results are quicker’

Hundreds of NHS workers’ coronavirus swabs have reportedly been flown to Germany because the results are coming back in half the time. Samples passed to Public Health England are believed to be taking up to four days to process but those on the Continent can come back in just two. Northampton General Hospital is understood to have … Read more

Coronavirus: UK ‘too late’ to order testing chemicals and swabs

Ministers have been accused of leaving it too late to ramp up the UK’s coronavirus testing amid shortages of chemicals and swabs. Boris Johnson is facing jibes that the push toward mass testing was left ‘too late’, with the whole world now seeking the same critical materials.  Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers – … Read more