Coronavirus: Can the UK still reach 100,000 tests a day? - BBC Newsnight

Описание: The UK government wants to carry out 100,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of April, but it has faced criticism for not increasing numbers faster. As of the end of April, fewer than 20,000 tests are being carried out daily. So just how achievable is the government's target? Subscribe to our channel here: https://goo.gl/31Q53F

The tests currently being used in UK hospitals are to see if somebody currently has Covid-19.

They are being carried out in hospitals and at 27 drive-through testing centres across the country.

These are done by taking a swab of the nose or throat, which is sent off to a lab to look for signs of the virus's genetic material.

The other type of test the government wants to use is an antibody test. These are done to see if someone has already had the virus.

They work by looking for signs of immunity, by using a drop of blood on a device that works a bit like a pregnancy test.

The UK government has not yet found any that are reliable enough to use.

James Clayton reports.

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