The Lighthouse Lab in Newport, originally promised to come online by the end of August, finally opened this week.
It's the first new Pillar 2 lab to open in FOUR months.
And the next lab that was due to open is delayed too!
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…
It's the first new Pillar 2 lab to open in FOUR months.
And the next lab that was due to open is delayed too!
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…
As I pointed out last month, the government utterly failed to increase lab capacity over the summer, despite rising demand (much of it driven by their own policies).
Pillar 1 capacity has barely changed since July 7.
Pillar 2 capacity stalled on June 14!
Pillar 1 capacity has barely changed since July 7.
Pillar 2 capacity stalled on June 14!
https://twitter.com/_johnbye/status/1306020528478617600?s=20
As Lighthouse Labs handling Pillar 2 (community) testing hit capacity in late August, the government started paying private labs (most in the EU) to handle excess tests.
This accounted for ALL of the increase in Pillar 2 capacity over the next two weeks.
This accounted for ALL of the increase in Pillar 2 capacity over the next two weeks.
https://twitter.com/_johnbye/status/1306020548942737410?s=20
It's not clear how much (if any) of the additional 40,000 tests a day capacity added in the month since then has come from upgrading equipment at existing Lighthouse Labs.
Or if we just paid more private labs to make up for our own lack of forward planning.
Or if we just paid more private labs to make up for our own lack of forward planning.
Meanwhile the new labs the government promised over the summer have all failed to arrive.
Newport was supposed to open at the end of August. But they were still recruiting staff then!
Supposedly equipment was in place in September, but nobody to use it.
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8…
Newport was supposed to open at the end of August. But they were still recruiting staff then!
Supposedly equipment was in place in September, but nobody to use it.
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8…
And the Loughborough lab that was supposed to launch by the end of September is also a month behind schedule.
They only started recruiting as the lab was supposed to be opening, and the first staff won't start work until the last week of October.
thetimes.co.uk/article/super-…
They only started recruiting as the lab was supposed to be opening, and the first staff won't start work until the last week of October.
thetimes.co.uk/article/super-…
Quite how the government still expects to hit its target of 500,000 tests a day by the end of October is a mystery.
They currently claim capacity for 313,844 PCR swab tests a day.
Newport will only handle 20,000 tests a day by the end of October.
Loughborough may not be open.
They currently claim capacity for 313,844 PCR swab tests a day.
Newport will only handle 20,000 tests a day by the end of October.
Loughborough may not be open.
Update: the company behind the Loughborough (aka Charnwood) lab says it will be "in operation" by the end of November.
So two months late, not one!
And too late to contribute to the government's 500,000 tests a day by the end of October target.
technologynetworks.com/immunology/pro…
So two months late, not one!
And too late to contribute to the government's 500,000 tests a day by the end of October target.
technologynetworks.com/immunology/pro…
And a reminder that a few weeks ago an industry body was warning that "supply chain lag" could derail the government's efforts to hit 500,000 tests a day.
Despite that pledge being made 2 months earlier, more than enough time to scale up production. 🤔
Despite that pledge being made 2 months earlier, more than enough time to scale up production. 🤔
https://twitter.com/_johnbye/status/1310620520522461184?s=19
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