LOCKDOWN measures could begin to be eased from Monday says Prime Minster Boris Johnson.
But speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr Johnson warned that it would be ’an economic diaster’ to relax the restrictions in any way that could risk a second spike in Covid-19 infections.
The Prime Minister has said that a ’test, track and trace’ strategy will be the key to coming out of lockdown, and has pledged that the UK will be carrying out 200,000 tests a day by the end of May.
But he is facing challenges from opposition leader Keir Starmer over the fact that the rate of testing has fallen back from the original 100,000 per day promised.
And the speed of getting test results back could also prove an obstacle to successful tracking of the disease.
In Cornwall, one nurse in the north of the county has said today that she is still waiting for test results nine days after having a swab taken.
’I had symptoms and went to be tested but I am still waiting for my results. It is a complete joke that frontline staff are waiting this long for test results,’ she said.
’I know some staff have got fed up with waiting if they feel OK, and have just returned to work, which potentially is putting lives at risk. What is the point in testing if you don’t get the results in a timely fashion? ’
Liberal Democrat portfolio holder for Adults on Cornwall Council Rob Rotchell, cites a report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) which states that more than 76% of Health and Social Care workers have not been offered a test for Covid-19.
’The fact that not even frontline workers are being adequately tested shows yet again Government failing Cornwall in this crisis,’ he said.
’There have been health workers turning up at test centres with appointments that were not open or sent to the wrong location. This is simply not got good enough.’