RE: Variants9 Feb 2021 21:40
10k sequenced out of 500k tests is about 2%
2% is fairly common for use in polls etc for statistical significance. But with something as worrying as Variants of Concern, then yes, you would hope they would be testing more than 2% to improve the confidence interval to achieve greater certainty.
But possibly there is a limit on the number they can sequence. Remember, this sequencing they are doing is super scientific and UK is world-leading in this field, but it is highly skilled work and not as simple as running thousands of batches of PCR tests.