Concern over possible false negative Covid results in Newbury
People who tested at the Government site at Newbury showground are being urged to test again
Last updated 15th Oct 2021
Members of the public have been urged to book for further testing after some PCR tests at a Government-run site in Berkshire resulted in false negatives.
West Berkshire Council said in a statement some of the tests at the Newbury Showground testing site, operated by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), "have had results sent out that may have incorrectly shown as negative for Covid-19".
"After receiving reports from local residents in recent weeks that there were concerns about the accuracy of test results from the site, we passed these concerns onto the DHSC for further investigation," the statement added.
"The DHSC has now confirmed that a number of sites nationally may have been affected by this issue, including the one at Newbury Showground."
Those who received a negative result for a PCR test between 3 and 12 October, as well as their close contacts, were "strongly" encouraged by the local authority to take another test.
Councillor Graham Bridgman said:
"Testing continues to remain important as we learn to live with Covid and anyone who has symptoms, or who has been in contact with someone who tests positive, should book a PCR test straightaway. We also strongly encourage the public to do twice weekly lateral flow testing."
Investigation
An estimated 43,000 people may have been given wrong negative PCR Covid test results, the UK Health Security Agency has said.
NHS Test and Trace has suspended testing operations provided by Immensa Health Clinic Ltd at its laboratory in Wolverhampton, following an investigation into reports of people receiving negative PCR test results after they have previously tested positive on a lateral flow.
The errors relate to test results given to people between September 8 and October 12, mainly in the South West of England, but with some cases in the South East and Wales.
There are no technical issues with test kits themselves and people should continue to test as normal, UKHSA said.
It said a full investigation is being carried out into why and how incorrect results were given.