The UK government has added five more approved providers to its list of clinics able to carry out Covid tests as part of its test-to-release scheme, but another one of the providers on the initial list has withdrawn.
The five new providers are:
• Agilis Health, set up in June in Edinburgh, which offers remote and office-based tests;
• Heathrow Medical Services, a provider of professional occupational health services and specialist medicals, now additionally offering Covid tests;
• The London Clinic, based just off London’s Harley Street;
• NPH Group, which offers testing services at Newcastle airport;
• Randox, a large biotech firm based in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Axiom, which was in the initial list of providers, is no longer shown on the official list but still appears to be offering tests through its website.
The scheme was criticised when it started last week after providers were overwhelmed by demand.
The extent to which people will be able to use the scheme has been severely curtailed after more than 40 countries banned flights and travellers from the UK as a result of a new infectious Covid strain first identified in the UK.