As Newcastle goes on Government watch list, COVID-19 testing falling dangerously short of expectations

With 145 new cases in the city over the last week, Newcastle and most of Tyneside on the Government's watch list, and reports that the COVID-19 R rate has risen above 1 across the UK, Dr Wendy Taylor, who speaks for Newcastle Liberal Democrats councillors on health matters, highlighted that people will be rightly alarmed by these figures.

"No one wants to see a second wave of this dreadful virus," she said. "Where's the world-beating app that the Government was boasting about as long ago as April? Like many other things under Johnson's rule, there's rhetoric and show but not the necessary essential action.

"A robust system to test, trace and isolate every coronavirus case remains essential to keep people safe as we open up our economy and society more and more. The current situation - with many people unable to access testing at all - continues to fall dangerously short of expectations.

"If we are to prevent a second wave we need rapid action to bring our test and trace system up to scratch, as well as absolute clarity in public health messaging. If the Government can't get these basics right, it will be difficult for people to have any faith in their promises for the future."