More Lies From Matt Hancock

[teacake44]

For every (one) person they now test, they are counting it as two, one swob up the nose, and one too the back of the mouth =two tests, this is so they can say they have reached the 200.000 tests per day, what the hell is this government playing at? Should they continue to lie to the public in this way you will see breakdown in law and order sooner or later. So the US rioting started off with a murder, but the real issue is their government handling of the virus and the loss of thousands of jobs and a spineless Trump who's not got a clue, very much like Boris. The virus is winning with global breakdown of law and order. 81% of the public now say Cummings broke the rules so if Boris tries another lockdown it won't work, and that is when the problems will start in the UK.

[teacake44]

This is NOT about black or white, so please leave it out. Its about this government telling lie after lie. Slapstick, farce and buffoonery. that will lead to unrest sooner or later in the UK, there is always a certain element that are looking for an excuse to start trouble and this government is handing it too them in more ways than one.

[naomi24]

//I assumed 1 test = 1 person //

Me too - but apparently that isn't so. I can't post a link. Perhaps someone else will be kind enough.

If the plan was for 200,000 tests a day and that's been achieved, I can't see where the government is lying, Teacake.

[Ellipsis]

> so where is the lie?

More of a deception than a lie. If you went for "a test" and when you got there discovered that your "test" involved a swab up the nose and one at the back of the mouth, when you got home you'd probably tell people you had "a test" and you're waiting on the result of your "test".

But according to government stats you would have had two tests. Even though it was one session, and one result.

[iluvmargie]

How do we go about getting a test, does anybody know?

[mushroom25]

// This is NOT about black or white, so please leave it out. //

from your own original question post:-
"So the US rioting started off with a murder"

that is most definitely about race. if you didn't intend race to be part of the discussion, why did you raise it?

[gness]

I also agree with Ellipsis, Jno. Those I know who were tested were surprised that they were going to be counted as two tests.....though not as surprised as those who received a negative result when they were still in possession of the sample.

[jim360]

The Government has until recently published figures that made clear that one test was not equal to one person ( https://twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/status/1262409742237958145 ). Since 18th May, the data on people tested has been "unavailable" (eg see https://twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/status/1266828477438853120 ) This has been put down to a technical issue, but I am surprised it hasn't been fixed yet. In any case, I don't think it's right to call this a "lie".

On the other hand, the 200,000 test target is for capacity, rather than for actual tests performed, which was 116,000 in the most recent data set. I'm not sure why about 40% of the capacity isn't being used.

[teacake44]

It was a murder, full stop, there was no mention of black or white in my post. so leave it out, stick to the main point.

[teacake44]

To anyone who can't work it out. To test one person for the virus, you need two swabs. One swab to be taken up the nose, then another swab in the mouth, when that procedure is complete. that means ONE person as been tested. number of persons tested = ONE, NOT TWO. OK :0)

[Ken4155]

Maybe not a downright lie, Naomi, but I do think a little subterfuge has been used. As you say, you believed the number of tests was based on one per person, as did I, and i'd hazard a guess that most of us did. 200,000 tests per day doesn't seem so noteworthy, now.

[fiction-factory]

>.though not as surprised as those who received a negative result when they were still in possession of the sample.
Yes that does seem pointless. If that's happening it's distorting the positive/negative stats and I'm surprised PHE/scientists haven't said it should stop. My guess is it's not the norm. But it's not meant to boost the test figures since those tests posted out are counted when poste doubt not when returned/ written off as negative.

The 200000 target for end May is a target for Test Capacity. The number of tests is well below that at the moment for all sorts of reasons. If they wanted to deceive on a bigger scale they could of course easily achieve it by testing whole workplaces or testing everyone at a school/airport/train station/blacklivesmatter demo but that would be a waste of the test kits

[jim360]

I should add that in the daily conferences the Government's spokespeople mention the number of tests performed, rather than the number of people tested.

[jakep]

I was unexpectedly admitted to hospital on BH Monday.
They routinely test for Covid on admission.
One me and one swab. It goes down your throat and then in both nostrils.
The lab receive one swab. I’m confused as to how that can be counted as two.

[fiction-factory]

I think you misunderstood Teacake. Tests done does differ from the number of people by some margin but not all are counted twice,
From the BBC:
"The number of tests performed is not the same as the number of people tested - on 22 May there were 140,497 tests but 80,297 people tested.
The reasons for the gap include:
=some people have to be retested because their test was void
=to check whether someone who had previously tested positive was now negative
=to double check a negative test if someone still appeared to be infected.

[naomi24]

Ken, //As you say, you believed the number of tests was based on one per person, as did I, and i'd hazard a guess that most of us did. //

Precisely, but in retrospect we can hardly blame others for our failure to understand what was said. We make assumptions - the chances are we'll get it wrong. Must pay better attention.

[teacake44]

Capacity is the governments way of diverting away from the tests carried out, no good processing a capacity, or having one if you don't use it.

[fiction-factory]

^But by the same token it's no good offering to do tests if you don't have the capacity to do them. Both are important.
With test and trace the numbers will go up.

[naomi24]

Teacake, I and others have acknowledged that we misunderstood what was said. You should do likewise.

[Ellipsis]

> The number of tests performed is not the same as the number of people tested - on 22 May there were 140,497 tests but 80,297 people tested. The reasons for the gap include:
>=some people have to be retested because their test was void
>=to check whether someone who had previously tested positive was now negative
> =to double check a negative test if someone still appeared to be infected.

I get that, but note that none of those reasons are "people are tested twice in one session, once up the nose and once at the back of the throat" which would far outweigh the given reasons.

One session, two swabs, one result should equal one test - not two.

[woofgang]

iluvmargie, all the info on tests is here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested