UK live coronavirus: antibody test approved for use | World News

Health Minister Edward Argar has admitted that the government still needs to “make available” the testing capacity of Covid-19 so that all residents and care home staff can be tested, amid claims that those without symptoms have been unable to do so .

Pressed on BBC Radio 4’s Today show about when care homes will be able to screen people, including those without symptoms, Argar said:

As I understand it, and I base this on anecdotal experience, as well as what I have seen in the department from my own district, is that nursing homes can do it. That is being implemented very quickly … “

But, when asked if care homes can assess those without symptoms, he replied:

There is still some capacity there that we need to make … make available, I must say, to take care of homes and make sure everyone can access it quickly. ”

He added: “To make sure they get their results back quickly so they know when they have someone who didn’t test negative, that’s fine.” Or when they have someone who tested positive, they know how to use that … if they are agreeing to a home-care discharge, they know they have to implement those isolation rules and isolation procedures. “

Previously, the former secretary of health Jeremy Hunt He told the program that it was “pretty clear now” that community testing should not have been abandoned on March 12. “I think it is very important not to point fingers at people, and I think the government is receiving excellent scientific advice,” he said.

“But actually asking why Sage, the government’s scientific advisory committee, did not model the South Korean test, track and trace approach we are now taking from the start.

“The government was given two very extreme options, the type of extreme blockade we just came out of, or the herd’s mitigated immunity.” And that middle way, the South Korean route, was not modeled. “

According to the health minister, the government wants to first launch a new antibody test that “changes the rules of the game” for front-line workers. Edward Argar.

Last night it became known that Public Health England passed an antibody test, which can determine if anyone has had Covid-19. The blood test, carried out by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, can help determine how much of the population has been infected, increasing the possibility that those who have had the disease are immune.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Argar said: “We are currently discussing this with Roche. He has just gone through Public Health England’s assessment as trustworthy, as doing the job, and therefore we are having those discussions.

But we are eager to get as many as we can and get them out, primarily to the front line, the NHS, social care, and then more widely. Because this will really be, as the prime minister said, this has the potential to change the game. “

But he warned that the government was not yet in a position to release the new antibody tests to the public. He added: “You have just received the green light. Obviously we will have had kits to test, but at the moment we are not in a position to give these tests. ”

He continued: “So we are not in a position to release it to the public yet and have those tests ready to go.”

England footballer Give it there He has spoken of his “horrible experience” after being held at knifepoint and beaten during a burglary at his home.

The Tottenham player, who had been isolating himself on his North London property during the lockdown with his brother and their respective partners, was hit in the face during the incident. The 24-year-old suffered a facial injury before the intruders fled.

Scotland Yard is investigating after the attackers broke into Alli’s home just after midnight on Wednesday morning, stealing jewelry and watches. There he tweeted last night:

Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called at approximately 00:35 on Wednesday May 13 to receive reports of a robbery at a residential address in Barnet.

Two men entered the property and stole jewelry, including watches, before fleeing. A male occupant of the property, in his 20s, suffered a minor facial injury after being assaulted. It did not require hospital treatment. There are no arrests; investigations into the circumstances continue. “

A Spurs spokesperson added: “We have been offering our support to Dele and those who isolate themselves with him. We encourage anyone with any information to help the police with their investigation to introduce themselves. “

Alli and her Spurs teammates are in the process of meeting the Premier League about Project Restart as they work to return to action next month.

It comes as ministers faced new accusations on Wednesday of failing to prepare nursing homes for a pandemic, as it emerged that Covid-19 may have killed 22,000 residents in England and Wales, more than double the official number.

The shadow minister also urged the government to fully finance all additional expenses on Covid-19 by local authorities. “The government told the councils that they would finance them” whatever was necessary to help communities overcome this crisis, “” he said.

“But last week we heard setbacks from the secretary of communities, Robert Jenrick, who changed the language to say that the councils would not necessarily be reimbursed. Now the councils are facing a £ 10 billion funding gap, a third of that related to social care. “

Councils in England fear they will have to make 20% budget cuts and face a £ 3.5 billion funding gap for welfare due to the coronavirus pandemic. Workers claim that local authorities face a £ 10 billion black hole as they face spiraling costs, while sources of revenue, such as parking charges, are depleted amid the shutdown.