Telegraph just now19 May 2021 17:49
They need better LFTs
Holidaymakers could soon be hit by increased testing costs as regulators air concerns over the accuracy of cheap, do-it-yourself lateral flow tests and call for them to be replaced by pricey PCR tests.
The UK’s medicine and healthcare product regulator, the MHRA, explains that the incorrect use of rapid tests can lead to inaccurate results and are often best used under professional supervision, which isn’t possible when on holiday – unlike PCR tests, which are more expensive but could be the only alternative for future travellers.
Lateral flow tests are currently being sold to holidaymakers visiting green- and amber-list destinations, who are required to present a negative result before boarding their flight home, as part of reduced-price testing packs from operators.
An exclusive report by website Travel Gossip has revealed that pre-departure and test-to-return kits sold to British Airways’ customers have been taken off sale by provider Qured, as it has been discovered they are intended for professional use only.
The website also understands that the MHRA is also reviewing pre-departure lateral flow kits being sold to TUI customers, among others.
There are growing concerns over the ‘super spreading’ risk in airport queues, where green and amber list arrivals are mixing with people from red list destinations. Chief Medical Officer at Cignpost ExpressTest, Professor Denis Kinane, is urging the UK Government to tighten its testing regime and make PCR tests the norm.
He says: "Under current regulations, the Government requires travellers from red-list locations to take a lateral flow test before they fly to the UK… However, lateral flow tests have been shown to miss up to half of the asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19."
He insists PCR tests should be used instead, stating: "This is the best level of protection from variant strains of COVID-19 and is an effective way of minimising the risk of red and green travellers being at the same airports."