Coronavirus/COVID-19 part 2

[macliam]

We'll wait and see what you have to say when it turns out that the cost price of the kits to Boots is under £2....

Presumably the NHS know.... and that'll be why the government were suggesting pricing far below that predicted by Boots

[macliam]

I noticed on the radio yesterday that the predicted cost of tests is now ~£2 -and less if bought in multipacks.

This includes Boots..... who have obviously had to "adjust their margins" in the face of competition -so my comments about their predatory pricing stand.

Unfortunately, a race to the bottom and no obvious quality control over the product means that we will now all be buying lottery entries in the great "is this test actually any good, or no" scam. How is it possible that the NHS cannot continue to import via their sources and sell them to the public with some measure of guarantee over the viability of the testing..... or does that go against the Tory ethos of free-market "caveat emptor" rip-offs?

[Chadwick]

I noticed on the radio yesterday that the predicted cost of tests is now ~£2 -and less if bought in multipacks.

This includes Boots..... who have obviously had to "adjust their margins" in the face of competition -so my comments about their predatory pricing stand.

In the light of that new information I'd agree that Boots had overpriced their single kits. Presumably trying to steer people towards buying the bulk boxes which at their old price worked out at about £2.50 per test - not so far from the new price range.

[expressman33]

I've been trying to order on the Gov.uk site for 2 days and have been getting message none available in your area.

[Sarah]

You could follow @LFT_alert if that helps.

They're also now discouraging orders for all except the clinically extremely vulnerable (or "people at high risk" in current terminology).

Meanwhile, cases and hospitalisations are rising rapidly. In some areas of the UK they're the highest they've been since the pandemic began.

[macliam]

You could follow @LFT_alert if that helps.

They're also now discouraging orders for all except the clinically extremely vulnerable (or "people at high risk" in current terminology).

Meanwhile, cases and hospitalisations are rising rapidly. In some areas of the UK they're the highest they've been since the pandemic began.

Never let doctrine surpass logic, eh?

Not a page in the Tory handbook........

[Sarah]

Free Lateral flow tests to stop on 1st April , https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-ra ... flow-tests

The tighter restrictions for ordering lateral flow tests are now already in place... not that it makes much difference anymore, given the practical difficulties of placing an order during recent weeks.

[Sarah]

[Sarah]

It's not over.



However...

The death data will soon be meaningless too. Routine tests for covid are being stopped in hospitals. GPs can't order covid tests. We won't know who died of covid in a few weeks. It won't be on the death certificate. There won't be any positive tests. They won't have been tested.

https://twitter.com/pipsterish/status/1 ... NBErnRZ5ag

[blythburgh]

After the Wednesday morning service there is a coffee morning in the church hall. This week it was cancelled as so many of the helpers have covid.