Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jemma Crew

One in five adults had difficulty getting lateral flow tests in January – ONS

PA Wire

More than a fifth of adults in Britain had difficulties getting lateral flow tests earlier in January, figures suggest.

Some 22% told the Office for National Statistics (ONS) they had struggled to order or pick up a rapid-result test in the past seven days.

The most common places difficulties were experienced were when ordering on the Government website for home delivery (68%) and collecting from pharmacies (60%).

The majority (85%) said the difficulties did not stop them from doing anything they had planned.

The ONS analysed responses from 3,293 people between January 6 and 16 as part of its Opinions and Lifestyle survey.

It found 61% of adults said they had taken a lateral flow test in the last week – up from 57% in December 15 to January 3.

It is also up from 42% in the period before Plan B measures were introduced in England

The figures also show that one in 10 adults reported self-isolating because of coronavirus in the past seven days.

This is up from 7% in the previous survey period and 5% prior to Plan B measures.

It is comparable to the proportion self-isolating this time last year, when the country was in its third national lockdown.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.