focusIR May 2024 Investor Webinar: Blue Whale, Kavango, Taseko Mines & CQS Natural Resources. Catch up with the webinar here.
183. The Adult Social Care Winter Plan set out the steps the Government is taking to support care providers to protect people in care, including those with learning disabilities, from COVID-19. For example, care home staff are now being tested twice weekly with rapid lateral flow tests in addition to a weekly PCR test, and free PPE is being provided to the social care sector until the end of June, with this offer now being extended to unpaid carers. Over the winter the Government provided £120 million additional funding to help local authorities boost staffing levels and £149 million to support rapid testing of staff and facilitate visits from family and friends (prior to the current restrictions coming into force).
197. In addition to a comprehensive revaccination programme, set out in chapter 2, the Government will also use the Test, Trace and Isolate system to keep the virus in check. This includes regular asymptomatic testing in sectors with the highest risk of transmission, as well as testing in the workplace to help protect employees from infection and keep businesses open. The UK has already stepped up domestic production of lateral flow tests.
Current Test, Trace and Isolate system
As around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not have symptoms, the Government has established widespread asymptomatic testing. This is conducting around 2.4 million rapid tests per week, including to all NHS and Adult Social Care staff and, since January, all school staff.
• Workplace testing: twice-weekly testing for all those unable to work from home.
(Testing available for all who have to leave the home for work.)
• Community Testing: local authority-led testing available at asymptomatic test sites on an ongoing basis.
(Testing live in over 260 local authorities in England.)
• NHS frontline staff: twice-weekly home testing.
(Testing live.)
• Care homes: three tests a week for staff, monthly PCR testing for residents.
(Testing live.)
• High-risk extra care and supported living: three tests a week for staff, monthly PCR testing for residents.
(Testing will go live from late February.)
• Domiciliary carers: weekly testing.
(Testing live.)
• Schools and colleges: twice-weekly testing of teachers and secondary school and college pupils.
(Live for teachers - full rollout for pupils from 8 March.)
• Universities: twice-weekly testing for all students and staff currently on-site.
(Testing live.)
• Hauliers: testing to enable cross-border travel.
(Testing live.)
• Other settings (including prisons and hospices): mix of PCR and rapid testing
(Testing live.)
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Reading the plan out of lockdown makes for interesting reading... I guess others are more interested in leisure opening up, but they're going to need testing...
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963491/COVID-19_Response_-_Spring_2021.pdf
91. In addition to the already established rapid testing regime and regular testing of staff, there will be twice-weekly testing of secondary school and college pupils, initially with on-site testing and then home testing. All households with school children, members of their support and childcare bubbles, and those in related occupations will also be encouraged to get tested regularly.
96. From 8 March, every care home resident in England will be able to nominate a single named visitor who can come in for a regular visit. The visitor will have to take a rapid lateral flow test every time they visit, wear PPE and keep physical contact to a minimum.
157. Rapid testing in education settings is now well established, with more than 3 million rapid COVID-19 tests conducted in schools and colleges in England since 4 January. This includes two tests for those secondary school pupils and college students who have returned, and regular testing for all staff. At universities, 600,000 tests have also been taken on site since last year; they are encouraged to offer twice-weekly tests to everyone attending.78 When more pupils and students return to face-to-face education in schools and colleges on 8 March the Government will introduce twice- weekly testing of secondary school and college pupils, starting with testing on site in the first two weeks and then home testing. All households with school children, members of their support and childcare bubbles, and those in related occupations will also be encouraged to get tested regularly.
159. The Community Testing Programme is also being extended until at least the end of June. Launched in December 2020, as a partnership between national and local government, this rapid testing scheme was expanded in January for all local authorities in England to use and nearly all have now joined. This enables asymptomatic testing for local public services, small businesses, self-employed people and communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
160. A new Community Collect model will be launching so that families, small businesses and the self-employed - who have found it harder to access regular testing - can take away rapid tests from some Government and local authority sites. People will also soon be able to have rapid lateral flow tests delivered straight to their home, allowing them to carry out tests when it is most convenient. This will provide ready access to rapid lateral flow tests for those who require access to regular testing
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Blimey a post from Kev I agree with.
Keep it civil folks.
Thanks BigJock for organising the Q&A.
My favourite snippets amongst the many are:
Antibody – “We are currently building UK-RTC stock”
Millions of tests to sell, hopefully to non UK Gov customers (for higher margins).
Abingdon and CIGA have been actively promoting the availability of ABC-19 and that they can be ordered now (no longer pre-order).
Antigen – “We are happy with the terms of the contract and that we will receive a fair price for the work we undertake for the Government”
We’ll be told in due course, obviously, but I’m hopeful the Finncap estimate is on the low side.
Antigen – “Can assure you that Mologic TT remains a key focus for the site.”
I think once Boris announces the plan out of lockdown we'll hear, shortly after, about UKCA/CE mark and confirmation of DHSC selected tests.
Expansion - “Early last year we took possession of the third unit as part of our expansion plans. This new unit is where the Government equipment will be used and the work we have commenced is to link this unit to the other two, which will allow easier product flow between buildings”
This one is interesting. The implication is that DHSC provision will be long term, and/or there is confidence in post DHSC world that the expanded space (and perhaps kit) will still be needed. Why go to the cost/trouble of connecting them otherwise.
Future - “Work has commenced on both these projects, they are very much in the early phase and a key first step is to produce raw materials that will provide a competitive edge, that is currently our key focus.”
Great to read that work is already underway developing tests of the future (Cryptococcal meningitis and a TB-LAM test to diagnose T.B).
CD4 (CHAI) – “7-10 countries are expected to have initiated roll out plans for the test by the financial year-end i.e, March”
CD4 orders to hopefully be realised next month.
Happy days. DYOR, GLA.
Indeed.. thank you BigJock (and please pass on thanks to Colin).
I particularly like, "We are currently building UK-RTC stock for forecasted demand, CD4 tests and transferring Mologic antigen test"
You seem on a bit of a downer this morning... was it Gin last night? :-)
Cheer up chap... It's all good news. Omega will make and sell whatever test (probably both), they can make.
200% ?
Did you take the blue pill this morning Kev? You're very perky all of a sudden.
@Girdz, you're absolutely right.. After I hit post, I realised.
@Chuggley, not aimed at you Sir. It's frustrating, but hopefully just clearing the decks for better things to come.
I'm not surprised the Bill has taken some well earned cash. He's had a good 3 years stint with Colin to get Omega up to these giddy heights. Let him take his spoils and spend them as he sees fit, and let Simon and Colin take it on further.
With regards to reasons why, people can only assume, with many reasons:
No director would be allowed to sell prior to any bad news.
It's in bad taste to sell at highs after good news.
Tax implications.
His partner's birthday is coming up and demands an expensive gift.
School fees pending.. and so on.
What surprises me more, are the posters that crawl out from their hiding places.
For days of positive news in the press around LFT's, you hear nothing.
A whiff of negativity (which there isn't).. and BOOM... out they come.
Welcome back folks... you know who you are.
"Weve seen the 400000 per day in the press already"
And that's just the initial number of tests being posted directly to peoples homes.
I don't have any links, but just saw on Sky News that some Asda stores are being supplied with LFTs.
Local authorities were not informed, which was the actual story.
Does anyone know what it is?
I can find in March 2020 it was 500k per week, but they must have increased that since then.
So Twatcher, what you're saying is that there will be a considerable manufacturing shortfall.
And in the same breath, questioning that ODX will be selling all they can make.
Greg, we can only assume that Omega have been producing LFTs, in line with their increased capacity, for the previous months. We've not had it confirmed by Omega.
If they have been, it will only be for Antibody (either ABC-19 or Visitect), as we don't yet have a UKCA/CE marked Antigen test.
My assumption is that they have been producing ABC-19 tests, as Abingdon have been (confirmed via RNS), in anticipation of orders.
https://twitter.com/mologic/status/1361679970972684290
There's a lot going on in the press around LFT's now... keep it coming..
"All samples were screened by ELISA for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (Omega Diagnostics, Alva, UK), as per the manufacturer’s instructions."
Thanks Regulator... so reading the ODX RNS from the 11th, and considering AVCT won't have a test until April+
"the Group expects that this supply contract will lead to significant volumes of tests being delivered over the COMING WEEKS and months."
The above statement kinda puts the timeline out there that it's Mologic that will be the DHSC selected selected test (alongside SureScreen).
AVCT Initial evaluation has been published... moving to clinical trials.
I think a few rainbow chasers/traders will be heading there for a while, maybe jump back here later.
@Regulator/Tecbadger - You're more experienced in these things than I am... how long for clinical trials do you think? End of March?
But the ABC-19 news is very positive news. We know, through the recent FT article, that there was publication of a letter implying MHRA approval had been granted for the ABC-19 test, and I'm guessing this performance data will be used to substantiate that.... As some have mentioned.. the start of the news flow.
Innova is an Antigen test (do you have it)
The ABC-19 test is an Antibody test (Have you had it)