Most Covid-19 testing has ended on Friday - but hospital leaders in Newcastle and Sunderland have warned we are still "in the midst of Covid" and spoken of the continued pressure it is causing on the NHS and how patients are still dying.
With high numbers of patients with Covid-19 on the wards and Covid increasing in the community and leading to substantial staff sickness which adds to the strain, bosses at the Newcastle Hospitals and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS trusts said the virus was making it harder for them to meet national recovery targets.
From today, Covid-19 testing is not available for most people in the community - though hospital trusts retain testing infrastructure for their staff - and members of the public are told to rely on symptoms and take extra care, including by wearing masks and staying at home where possible, to limit the spread of the virus. Tests can however be purchased commercially.
