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UK Government Sets Target for 100k Coronavirus Tests Per Day by End of April

UK Government Sets Target for 100k Coronavirus Tests Per Day by End of April
folder_openUnited Kingdom access_time3 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised 100,000 daily coronavirus tests in England by the end of April, declaring “we will prevail” amid mounting public criticism of delays.

Announcing a five-point plan to dramatically step up testing from the current 10,000 a day, Hancock told a 10 Downing Street press conference: “That is the goal and I am determined that we will get there.”

His promise, however, fell well short of the 250,000 tests pledged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson two weeks earlier.

Labour demanded clarity over how many of the 100,000 would be antibody checks to allow crucial National Health Service staff to emerge from lockdown and return to work, and how many will be antigen tests identifying those with the disease.

Despite figures showing the largest daily increase in coronavirus deaths – 569 – NHS England medical director Stephen Powis said there were “reasons to be hopeful” that strong public observance of social distancing measures was beginning to rein in the outbreak.

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