On March 18 Department of Health announced it would aim to boost capacity up so it could test thousands more people “within four weeks”.
But that deadline has passed and the UK tested just 15,994 people in the 24 hours up to 9am yesterday, No10 confirmed this lunchtime.
Downing Street claimed it had capacity for up to 35,000 tests to be carried out now thanks to a huge boost in sites, but blamed the Bank Holiday weekend for a limited take-up of tests.
They said that that any spare capacity should be used to test NHS staff and their families.
A spokesperson said earlier: “We have been very clear, where there is spare capacity available that should be used on NHS staff and families and in social care.
“The Health Secretary was asked about this… he said we’re building testing capacity all the time and the reason the figures have been flat in recent days have been because of a lack of demand, not a lack of capacity.”
Overall, 60,000 NHS and social care staff and relatives been tested so far, but just 500 social care staff.
4,000 have been invited for tests, but there are no updated figures on how many have been done yet.
Yesterday Mr Hancock said all social care staff and patients in care homes who needed a test would get one.
And that anyone leaving hospital would also be tested first to make sure they were not spreading the disease again.
Last night Mr Hancock denied that he had missed the target for tests, and stressed that they were still aiming to reach 100,000 a day by the end of the month.
He told the Downing Street press conference: “We have hit each of the goals that we have set on testing and as I say we have had capacity continuing to ramp up this month.
“The demand has been lower over the Easter weekend as staff haven’t wanted to come forward for testing which is understandable during a long weekend.
“But the goal is still clear to reach 100,000 by the end of this month.”
Experts had claimed that up to 4,000 people could have died in care homes since the pandemic began – but the latest official figures show just 200 have done so far, which have a 10-day delay.
Meanwhile Dominic Raab is expected to formally extend Britain’s lockdown later today.
After a Cabinet call and a G7 meeting he will chair an emergency COBRA session to look at the evidence and rubber stamp the decision.
An announcement is expected at this evening’s press conference with the First Secretary of State.
