Scientists have hit back at criticism of rapid-turnaround coronavirus tests, arguing that they are a useful tool.
They say that opponents of the “lateral flow” tests, which are similar to a pregnancy test, are confused about their purpose, which is to pick up cases most likely to pass on the infection.
Britain has spent about £1 billion on the tests, which give a result in minutes and do not need a laboratory to process.
Last week a group of scientists said that they were so inaccurate as to be counterproductive. Jon Deeks, professor of biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, said that their use would “lead to tragic consequences”. He fears that people would interpret a negative test as meaning that they were not infected,
