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| Coronavirus: Some Randox test kits 'may not meet safety standards' | Coronavirus: Some Randox test kits 'may not meet safety standards' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The swabs in some batches of one brand of coronavirus home-test kits are "not up to standard", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. | |
| As a precaution, the government says the kits made by Randox should not be used until further notice. | As a precaution, the government says the kits made by Randox should not be used until further notice. |
| There is no evidence of harm being done and no impact on access to testing, Mr Hancock said. | There is no evidence of harm being done and no impact on access to testing, Mr Hancock said. |
| Randox claims to be responsible for up to 17% of the total tests carried out in the UK. | Randox claims to be responsible for up to 17% of the total tests carried out in the UK. |
| The company is a healthcare diagnostics group based out of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. | The company is a healthcare diagnostics group based out of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. |
| The swabs are used to collect a sample from the back of the throat and nose, which is then sent to a lab to test for the virus. | The swabs are used to collect a sample from the back of the throat and nose, which is then sent to a lab to test for the virus. |
| Mr Hancock told the Commons he was contacted on Wednesday afternoon about the problem. | Mr Hancock told the Commons he was contacted on Wednesday afternoon about the problem. |
| He said the certification behind the CE safety mark on the product was "not forthcoming". | He said the certification behind the CE safety mark on the product was "not forthcoming". |
| In a statement earlier on Thursday, the Department of Health and Social Care said: "The risk to safety is low and test results from Randox kits are not affected." | In a statement earlier on Thursday, the Department of Health and Social Care said: "The risk to safety is low and test results from Randox kits are not affected." |
| It said it would be "supporting all testing settings to receive replacement kits as soon as possible". | It said it would be "supporting all testing settings to receive replacement kits as soon as possible". |
| Tests kits produced by Randox Laboratories, which have been used in care homes and sent to people at home, are clearly marked with the company's name. | Tests kits produced by Randox Laboratories, which have been used in care homes and sent to people at home, are clearly marked with the company's name. |
| Kits that have already been used can still be collected for processing as normal. | Kits that have already been used can still be collected for processing as normal. |
| Baroness Dido Harding, head of NHS Test and Trace in England, which has a separate contract with Randox, said it was too early to comment on the impact of the safety issue, but she said test results were "not affected". | Baroness Dido Harding, head of NHS Test and Trace in England, which has a separate contract with Randox, said it was too early to comment on the impact of the safety issue, but she said test results were "not affected". |