More frequent deliveries needed to solve ‘still patchy’ test kit supplies

Gerard Greene, chief executive of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland, said that demand for the test kits — which is already outstripping supply — could increase further thanks to new guidance around coronavirus testing for the fully vaccinated and around self-isolation.

The fully vaccinated — those with at least two doses — are no longer required to take PCR tests if they show no symptoms after coming into contact with someone infected with coronavirus, and are instead urged to take lateral flow tests.

Meanwhile, people who catch the can stop self-isolating up to three days early if they test negative twice with lateral flow tests.

Earlier this week, Mr Greene warned that supplies of the tests were “patchy” with people requiring the tests urged to “shop around”.

Speaking to the News Letter yesterday, he said the situation remains largely unchanged.

And on Thursday, First Minister Paul Givan said sufficient supplies are in Northern Ireland but admitted “pinch points” exist due to deliveries.

Speaking to the News Letter on Friday, Mr Greene said that to solve the problem, extra curiers could be needed for more frequent deliveries alongside the removal of the existing limits on the number of test kits an individual pharmacy can order.

“Supplies are continuing to come through to pharmacies but I think it’s fair to say it’s still patchy,” he said.

“The supplies are getting out, but they’re still not meeting the demand at the minute.”

He continued; “What needs to happen is that the frequency of deliveries to the pharmacies needs to increase.

“They [the Department] will have to either bring on extra couriers or delivery capacity. And they have to allow pharmacies to order greater quantities.”

He said the current system for distribution of lateral flow tests was set up before the surge in cases fuelled by the more-transmissible omicron variant. But with record infection levels, Mr Green believes the system needs to change to take some pressure off already stretched local pharmacies.

He explained: “There is a limit placed on it right now. There may be special allowances for pharmacies on particularly busy main streets, for example in the middle of Belfast and maybe Derry as well, but by and large there is a limit to how many kits one pharmacy can order.

“It’s a set amount of lateral flow tests.

“All of this was set up in the period before omicron. It worked well when there was that level of demand, but now the demand has gone through the roof so there needs to be a bit more flexibility shown in getting the kits from the central stores that the department have out to pharmacies.”

He added: “Additional deliveries and additional orders would be great.”

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdowns having had a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions

now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry, Editor