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Today I met Jonathan. Until recently, he worked in insurance. Now he's CEO of a covid-19 testing company
His story shows what can and can't be realisticallly expected from the government's mass testing plan
Today I met Jonathan. Until recently, he worked in insurance. Now he's CEO of a covid-19 testing company
His story shows what can and can't be realisticallly expected from the government's mass testing plan
First: about that plan. The leaked documents reported today by the BMJ say the target is 10m a day by the end of the year
I’m told by several sources that information - a brilliant scoop - is out of date
I’m told by several sources that information - a brilliant scoop - is out of date
One Whitehall source said the 10m figure was a “back of the fag packet calculation” for thinking about what was possible
You can see it. Seventy million people tested once a week means 10 million tests a day. It’s a very rough estimate for whole population testing
You can see it. Seventy million people tested once a week means 10 million tests a day. It’s a very rough estimate for whole population testing
My source said the exact details are “still being worked out”, but I understand the real target is closer to 2-4 million a day
That’s not 10m, but it’s still a huge ask
Can it be done? Well, it depends what you mean by done… which brings me back to Jonathan
That’s not 10m, but it’s still a huge ask
Can it be done? Well, it depends what you mean by done… which brings me back to Jonathan
Jonathan's company, HALO, has just signed a contract for regular testing at the University of Exeter
This is what the test kit looks like. The crucial bit is that funnel top left
This test takes its sample from saliva
This is what the test kit looks like. The crucial bit is that funnel top left
This test takes its sample from saliva
Why is saliva so much better than swabs? Simply put, because it’s easier. Students and staff at Exeter can take their own samples, then put them in this box to send off
The result comes back via an app
The result comes back via an app
HALO was co-founded by Dr Craig Rochford, inventor of the Epipen. Six months ago, most of its staff were students at Oxford
Its rapid emergence shows what’s possible
It uses the same method as the government, just in a friendlier way. Scaling up *that* is entirely realistic
Its rapid emergence shows what’s possible
It uses the same method as the government, just in a friendlier way. Scaling up *that* is entirely realistic
But HALO’s test isn’t magic. It needs to be processed in a lab, which takes time. It guarantees results in 24 hours
There are quicker tests, even 20 minutes ones, but they compromise on accuracy, and the sample needs to be taken by a trained professional
There are quicker tests, even 20 minutes ones, but they compromise on accuracy, and the sample needs to be taken by a trained professional
This, on the other hand, will need magic - or at least a technological step change
It’s what the PM said yesterday about mass testing
It’s what the PM said yesterday about mass testing
Think about it for a moment. To test an entire audience, on the day, you’d need home tests – or think of the queues
They’d need to be really accurate
They’d need to be processed in a local lab
This combination doesn't exist right now
They’d need to be really accurate
They’d need to be processed in a local lab
This combination doesn't exist right now
It kind of makes you wonder why the PM and Matt Hancock are airing this possibility, saying it might save Christmas. Is it to offer hope? That's a dangerous game. Once people discover what's really possible, it might seem like false hope
And then there’s this – your regular reminder that the UK is already testing at enormous scale, relative to comparable countries
If testing defeated coronavirus, we'd have it beat already
If testing defeated coronavirus, we'd have it beat already
Mass testing is possible, within limits
It could really help, within limits
It's entirely possible there's new technology coming that'll change those limits. But right now our most realistic expectation is to rely on more of the same - and the same pros and cons // ENDS
It could really help, within limits
It's entirely possible there's new technology coming that'll change those limits. But right now our most realistic expectation is to rely on more of the same - and the same pros and cons // ENDS
