Covid: PCR tests now unavailable in some areas only a day after lateral flows run out

Downing street insisted there was significant testing capacity despite difficulties

The government website showed a lack of PCR test supply at around 11:20 on Tuesday morning. (The Independent )

PCR tests were unavailable in some areas of the country on Tuesday morning, according to the government website.

The low supply comes just a day after the UK Health Security Agency said that they were unable to deliver home lateral flow tests. The health body said that “high demand for PCR test appointments” was causing the patchy availability.

At around 11:20am on Tuesday morning, the government website was showing PCR tests as “not available” in every region of the UK. By 12pm this had changed to a more scattered supply with some areas back to “available” and others still lacking PCR tests.

Affected areas included Berkshire, the Isle of Wight, Middlesex and Bristol where no PCR tests were available. In London, West Sussex, Surrey and Bedfordshire there were only “very few available”.

The website lists different regions of the UK to show the availability of supply in test sites in each area. By 12:30pm most regions were showing PCR tests “available” but some places, such as Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Mendip, were still showing they had no supply.

The site was showing that home tests for the general public and essential workers were still available.

The UK Health Security Agency said: “There has been high demand for PCR test appointments leading to temporary reduced availability in some areas.

“More appointments are made available each afternoon & PCR tests are available to order for home delivery.”

Downing Street insisted that there was significant testing capacity despite suggestions of difficulties finding PCR tests.

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “In terms of PCR availability, I don’t have the latest but I would envisage further booking possibilities will come online later and, of course, there are in-person opportunities as well.”

The UK Health Security Agency addressed concerns about the supply of lateral flow tests on Monday, saying that “due to exceptionally high demand, ordering lateral flow tests on gov.uk has been temporarily suspended to fulfil existing orders.”

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab said on Tuesday morning that the problem with the rapid antigen tests wasn’t supply and volume but “allocation and distribution, or the delivery, of it.”

He added: “We know that in relation to the online system there were some challenges yesterday and that’s partly because of the proportion they’ve got each day.”

Downing Street said that ministers were working with Royal Mail and Amazon to ensure more lateral flow tests can be delivered.

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “We are increasing the capacity, Royal Mail are freeing up additional delivery slots to become available in the next few days and we’re working with a range of businesses including Amazon to further expand capacity.”

He said 2.6 million lateral flows were dispatched between 8pm on Saturday and 8pm on Sunday, compared to 584,000 on November 13.

The UKHSA has been approached for comment.