January 2022
Government set to scrap free lateral flow tests
The Times has reported that the Government is reportedly set to end the universal distribution of free lateral flow tests for COVID-19, with free tests to be reserved for high-risk settings like care homes, schools and hospitals, and for those showing symptoms of the virus. A senior Whitehall source told the Sunday Times that it is “likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but where we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary, such as in the winter”, while contact tracing by NHS Test and Trace is also likely to be scaled back. Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, warned against the move, saying it would be an “utterly wrongheaded” move and raising concerns about the implications for devolved nations’ testing budgets under the Barnett formula.