UK to treble rapid test supplies amid scramble for Covid swabs

Britain is among European countries piling up record infections as the Omicron variant spreads

Britain plans to treble its supplies of rapid coronavirus tests as the rampant spread of the Omicron variant leads to high public demand for swabs.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said there would be 300 million test devices per month in January and February, replacing a previous target of 100 million.

But he said the government would probably need to “constrain the system at certain points” as more than a million people try to take lateral flow tests every day.

The tests can be ordered for free from the UK government, but demand has outrun supply in recent days as the system is strained by record infection numbers — with a new high of 183,037 cases announced on Wednesday.

Ministers have urged people to take tests before New Year gatherings after deciding against the return of tighter restrictions this year.

“We are doing more testing per head than any comparable country,” said Mr Javid in a letter to MPs. “We will continue making tests available to everyone who needs them.”

One analysis by the ZOE Covid Study expressed optimism that Britain’s exponential growth in infections appeared to have stopped, but said cases were rising sharply among older people.

It said 75 per cent of people with cold-like symptoms such as a sore throat and runny nose are likely to have symptomatic Covid-19 — not just those with well-known coronavirus symptoms like a persistent cough.

The findings show that government advice on symptoms “needs to be urgently updated”, said Dr Claire Steves, one of the scientists behind the ZOE tracking app.

Cases surge across Europe

Britain was not the only country to see record cases on Wednesday, with France piling up 208,099 new infections and Italy adding 98,030.

French Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne said there could be fines of up to €50,000 ($56,600) for companies who needlessly work from offices.

It comes after employees were ordered to work from home for at least three days a week, under tighter restrictions, if the nature of their job makes it possible.

In Paris, residents and tourists will be required to wear masks outdoors starting on Friday, unless they are exercising or operating a vehicle. Offenders face a fine of €135 ($153).

France, Germany and Italy are among countries raising pressure on unvaccinated people by requiring proof of immunity to enter many venues.

But Austria is considering a carrot as well as a stick, with Chancellor Karl Nehammer declaring himself open to the idea of a €500 ($566) bonus for getting vaccinated.

Although some US states have used lotteries as a way of spurring vaccine uptake, direct financial rewards have been little used in Europe.

Mr Nehammer said any such payment would not only apply to late vaccine recipients but to anyone who was vaccinated earlier in the pandemic.

“If I can motivate people positively, I find that a good approach,” he said.

In Germany, the number of confirmed Omicron cases rose by 28 per cent in a day. At least five people have died with the variant.

Although the official case count is falling from an autumn peak in Germany, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the true figures were likely to be two or three times higher.

He said staff shortages at local health offices which feed test results into the national tally might be partly to blame for this.

People in Germany should celebrate the New Year “very cautiously”, Mr Lauterbach said, after rules took effect this week that limit gatherings to 10 people.

Germany on Thursday designated Italy as a high-risk area after the latest spike in cases in the southern European country.

Although Italy is tightening the screw on unvaccinated people, it loosened isolation requirements for those with two doses or a booster shot.

“I think it is reasonable to apply different rules to those citizens who have followed the government’s advice,” said junior health minister Andrea Costa.