Thousands of antibody test slots snapped up

Friday 29 May 2020

Over 4,000 covid-19 antibody tests for essential workers have been snapped up, prompting the creation of 2,000 more slots to record health data from "under-represented" groups including farm workers, and bus and taxi drivers.

Since the increased testing regime was announced by the government, all 4,200 appointments for essential workers to be tested for the virus antibody – which shows if they have at some point been infected with the virus – have been booked up.

The tests have been offered to the essentially employed - among whom are retail workers, nursery staff and cleaners - to collect further data about how the virus has spread amongst those who were still clocking in during full lockdown.

But, given that some groups of workers were not wholly represented initially, the government told Express it will now be releasing 2,000 more appointments specifically aimed at groups in the first batch of testing: drivers of buses and taxis, and those working in agriculture, retail, and hotels. 

Islanders apply for the testing through an online form on the government website.

Pictured: The test results are being used to survey those who had to work outside of their homes during lockdown.

Explaining the rationale behind the antibody testing, a government spokesperson told Express: “The essential worker antibody test survey is not a diagnostic programme to test every essential worker. Its intention is to understand the prevalence of the virus in the groups of essential workers who worked during the Stay Home order.”

The tests were made available to anyone who was required to work away from home more than five times when the island was under full ‘stay at home’ orders between 30 March and 11 May.

Government say that the first phase of testing started on Thursday 21 May and will run until Thursday 4 June (excluding the four days in the middle weekend, which was set aside for the community survey).

The second batch of appointments will kick off today (29 May) and run until the end of the first week of June.

This follows confirmation by the Government to Express that it is using the same antibody test kits for its essential workers survey - those manufactured by CTK Biotech - as private testing centre, Orchid Care Services Limited, which is associated with local businessman Jonathan Ruff.

Offering the pinprick blood tests to islanders at a cost of £74.95 for adults and £50 for frontline workers, the private facility has been criticised by Government for spreading “fear and confusion", approached by the island's data watchdog in relation to its patient information handling procedures, while content on its website prompted a Trading Standards investigation. 

In light of this, Managing Director James Ahier told Express that he hoped to have a "reasonable conversation" with government about the testing facility's operations.

Express asked the Government if this offer would be taken up last week, but has not received a reply.