In face of increased demand stemming from the spread of the Omicron variant, the UK is to double its home deliveries of PCR and lateral flow tests for SARS-CoV-2, the Financial Times reports.
The UK's Times adds that on early Wednesday morning, more than 200,000 lateral flow testing kits were ordered and that no more kits were available by mid-morning from government websites. It notes that people seeking walk-in PCR testing were additionally directed to more distant testing sites.
According to FT, the UK Health Security Agency has made a deal with the Royal Mail to be able deliver 900,000 PCR or lateral flow test kits beginning this weekend, which it says is about double the current number. It adds that UKHSA also plans to double the number of lateral flow tests it provides to pharmacies as well as increase the number of PCR testing appointments and laboratory capacity for running those tests.
"It's vital we all play our part in the national effort to tackle Omicron by getting tested if we have symptoms and using LFDs daily if we're a close contact of a case," Sajid Javid, the Health and Social Care Secretary, says in a statement.