No coronavirus tests are available in the country’s ten worst hotspots for the disease, with shortages likely to continue for weeks.
Ministers are drawing up plans to restrict “frivolous demands” for tests, The Times understands, after accepting that they did not anticipate so many people applying for them.
At present more than 200,000 tests are being carried out each day, but demand is much higher, with requests for tests from care homes and children returning to school being blamed for shortages around the country.
Laboratories are struggling to process all the samples sent to them, forcing testing centres to cut back on appointments. Hundreds of people who have virus symptoms are waiting more than five days for a result.
LBC radio reported yesterday that
