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UK’s largest Covid testing lab 'prioritising rugby stars despite shortages', insiders claim

Staff at a Coronavirus testing centre - PA
Staff at a Coronavirus testing centre - PA
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..

The UK’s largest coronavirus testing lab is prioritising Premiership rugby stars and travellers to Dubai despite widespread shortages across the system, it has been claimed.

Randox Laboratories in Northern Ireland has allegedly been flying test swabs from rugby players and coaching staff for analysis within 24 hours, while being accused of failing to provide the same service to the general public, insiders said.

The lab is responsible for a quarter of all community tests across the UK after winning a £133 million contract in March.

According to leaked documents seen by the Sunday Times, Randox completed fewer than a tenth of tests on time on September 9 and has been forced to throw away more tests than any other lab due to human error.

In May the Telegraph revealed that Britain had been secretly flying tens of thousands of coronavirus tests to America after problems at the Randox lab. The samples were airlifted across the Atlantic in chartered flights from Stansted airport.

In July, Randox was forced to recall half a million test kits after checks revealed they were not sterile.

It was also claimed that special treatment is given to swabs taken from those travelling to Dubai. On September 2, Randox said it was “delighted” to sign a new deal to screen airline passengers to Dubai.

It comes amid a continuing shortage of coronavirus tests across the country, with capacity diverted away from London and chaotic queues building up at testing centres.

A Randox spokesman said: “Randox takes great care in meeting all its contractual obligations and fully recognises the critical importance of meeting those obligations with regard to the national testing programme,' the firm said in a statement.

“Randox does not prioritise commercial work ahead of other work streams. We do not comment on commercial matters. We do not have a practice of voiding high numbers of test kits on a daily basis.

“On average the Randox void rate is comparable across the programme.”