Thread by @SarahRosemary3

1/
LFT supply
Mid December 2021

https://twitter.com/SarahRosemary3/status/1472264804660355075?s=20

2/ Online booking of LFTs.
Still at 900k maximum daily supply capacity, a fortnight later

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1476177307874336770?s=20

3/ And what about LFTs via collection points, such as pharmacies?

https://twitter.com/SarahRosemary3/status/1476174548001251328?s=20

DHSC minister Gillian Keegan, yesterday
'Revellers should take a lateral flow test before going out and celebrate in well-ventilated areas, she advised.'
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-598108…

5/ 24 hours later

https://twitter.com/johnestevens/status/1476185462410776577?s=20

6/ same day, Roger Gale MP phones Javid & gets an unexpected reply
( worldwide shortage of LFTs goes against what UKHSA & govt have themselves said, until today. )

https://twitter.com/SirRogerGale/status/1476156163079163906?s=20

7/Govt message filtering through to MPs too ( just a postal capacity issue at the online booking website)

https://twitter.com/Revdavidgray/status/1476159406563905536?s=20

8/ Lack of supply of LFTs ( & PCR) now, predictably, impacting on healthcare workers

https://twitter.com/JenWilliamsMEN/status/1476145365858586628?s=20

9/ PCRs only

https://twitter.com/HSJEditor/status/1475856882418003972?s=20

re tweet 6/ above in this thread....

https://twitter.com/breeallegretti/status/1476312524949762050?s=20

11/

https://twitter.com/alanmcn1/status/1476321576752660483?s=20

12/

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1476308838412427271?s=20

13/

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1476315819487502340?s=20

14/

https://twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1476468089525047301?s=20

15/

https://twitter.com/alanmcn1/status/1476259543428603907?s=20

16/ avid, has warned MPs he may need to “constrain” the Covid testing system over the next fortnight, as demand for LFTs surge.
theguardian.com/world/2021/dec…

17/ 'Prof Azeem Majeed, head of primary care & public health at Imperial also said there were not enough LFTs to support the govt’s policy for their “indiscriminate use”. He called for key workers & their close contacts by to receive tests as a priority' theguardian.com/world/2021/dec…

18/ same link as above
'The issue led Prof Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, to accuse the government of sending “mixed messages” about the reason for the shortage.'

19/ Javid, a couple of weeks ago

https://twitter.com/ChrisHallamLaw/status/1476369019737419778?s=20

20/
re tweet 17, above

https://twitter.com/GuardianHeather/status/1476582902238490628?s=20

'Prof Hayward:having an availability of tests "critical" to continuing to allow people to socialise as normal
& suggested it was "odd" that Nightingale "surge hubs" be set up in Eng to increase NHS capacity, at the same time that pple were not discouraged from having NYE parties'

21/ Also from Sky's link
'Javid says the government will triple the supply of lateral flow tests to 300 million per month * by February * '
news.sky.com/story/covid-19…

22/ In the meantime, while Javid stocks-up on LFT supply in order to meet his Govt's own policies....

https://twitter.com/singharj/status/1476595371136724997?s=20

23/

https://twitter.com/oldtrotter/status/1476598298773495810?s=20