Government insists rapid tests are safe after Sheffield care homes told not to use them

In an email to care home owners, the local authority said the lateral flow test (LFT) kits, which can produce a result in just 15 minutes, appeared to show an "unacceptably high risk" of not detecting the virus.

Greg Fell, director of public health in Sheffield said: “The safety of residents, staff and visitors in care homes is of paramount importance to us.

“We just want to know LFT kits can be used safely to give accurate results in high-risk, sensitive settings such as care homes and we’re seeking clarity on that from the Department of Health and Social Care. SAGE have not yet published evidence on this question, and we are waiting to see this before we take the next step.”

Dr Angela Raffle, a consultant in public health and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Bristol, said Prime Minister Boris Johnson was wrong to accredit the fall in infection rates in Liverpool to mass testing, and claimed the trial results of lateral flow tests had been “falsely represented”.

She added: “The infection rate in Liverpool has come down no quicker than in many other places that haven’t got mass testing and we haven’t yet seen a proper evaluation report from Liverpool.

“So the claims that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health are making that there has been a three-quarters drop in Liverpool because of mass testing are completely false.”

Care homes in Greater Manchester have also been told not to use the LFT kits because of concerns over their accuracy and the lack of training to safely use them, which could further reduce their accuracy. About one in five tests gives a false negative result.

However, Liverpool has already trained staff at 11 care homes as part of a pilot to reunite families, with a view to extending the scheme city-wide in two weeks.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Extensive testing has shown that lateral flow devices are suitable for use in care homes where they can identify people who are the most likely to spread the virus further and prevent transmission of the disease from staff and visitors.

“Testing is only part of the approach and it’s essential visitors wear PPE and follow all infection control methods to keep their loved ones, other residents and staff safe.”

The Government has promised care home residents in all tiers will have the chance to see their relatives before Christmas.

Dr Susan Hopkins, senior medical adviser to Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace, said: “No test will detect every single case but these lateral flow devices are proving to be accurate and reliable and we are confident they can be used to rapidly identify many people who are silently carrying the virus.

“In care homes, these tests can help make planned visits safer by identifying visitors that are unknowingly carrying high levels of virus, and so preventing them from passing it on to their loved one.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.