UK to help Caribbean in its fight to identify new COVID-19 variants
February 18, 2021
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The UK will offer its world-leading genomics expertise to help identify new variants of the virus that cause COVID-19 in countries in the Caribbean and around the world.
The announcement comes as part of a speech delivered by UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock at Chatham House. As part of the UK’s Presidency of the G7 this year, the Health Secretary outlined his vision for a stronger, more collaborative and effective global health system, not just in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, but to ensure the international community is better prepared for future threats.
New walk-through coronavirus test centre has opened near Bristol bristolpost.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bristolpost.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Southwark Crown Court is the next location for a HM Courts and Tribunals Service pilot to trial rapid testing of court users as part of the Government’s ongoing UK-wide drive to increase the availability of testing and help stop the spread of COVID-19.
New UK Government Covid testing site opens in Kirkcaldy
The UK Government has today, Friday 12 February, opened a new walk-through coronavirus testing centre at Overton Community Centre in Kirkcaldy.
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12 February 2021
The UK Government has today, Friday 12 February, opened a new walk-through coronavirus testing centre at Overton Community Centre in Kirkcaldy (KY1 3JP).
The test centre is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history. In Scotland, this comprises of seven drive-through sites, 30 walk-through sites, 35 mobile units, plus the Glasgow Lighthouse Lab which is working round the clock to process samples.
In Scotland, the UK Government is providing all Covid testing and test processing outside of the NHS. Around two thirds of all daily tests are provided by the UK Government, in support of Scotland’s health services.
Fears for public health as Hancock seeks greater powers
Concern has been expressed that public health could face further organisational turmoil as a result of measures to be set out by the health secretary today.
Matt Hancock will unveil a health white paper which has been widely leaked in advance. Although it focuses largely on integrating care and overturning the contentious reforms undertaken by the coalition government, it will also centralise much power and responsibility with the health secretary.
Although the bill to follow the white paper is, according to the draft document, “not the vehicle” for wholesale public health reform, it does state: “We will bring forward measures to make it easier for the secretary of state to direct NHS England to take on specific public health functions.”