The government’s 15-minute Covid tests “open the door to a much more routine way of life”, the scientist who validated the new devices said today.
Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, said that the tests — which are starting in Liverpool this week – could reduce the number of people needing to self-isolate.
He said they could also help public health officials get on top of the spread of the disease using millions of the tests a month to identify asymptomatic spreaders.
Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, on mass testing
But Sir John, a government adviser on life sciences, warned that some restrictions would have to remain. The test only picks up about 90 per cent of cases so will potentially miss some sources of infection.
“These need to
