Secret filming exposes contamination risk at Covid test lab

The lab has said that it followed all the necessary rules and regulations

Secret filming carried out by BBC Panorama at one of the biggest Covid testing labs in the UK has uncovered poor conduct and procedure that may have resulted in potential contamination of tests, and people receiving the wrong results. The footage was shown as part of a Panorama documentary that was aired on Monday evening. Staff were filmed cutting corners and handling tests in ways that may have contaminated them and therefore led to the wrong results. There appears to be evidence of discarded tests as well, and the lab being under pressure to hit its targets. However the lab has said that it followed all the necessary rules and regulations. Some of the key findings from the secret filming at the lab in Milton Keynes, which is run by the not-for-profit company UK Biocentre, were that checks to ensure that samples could be identified were rushed, swabs used to take Covid tests were left in their tubes when processed, presenting a contamination risk, and that the quality of the results got worse throughout the day. One quality control scientist at the lab said that by the last hour of the day half of each testing plate is "garbage," with two others saying that they see hundred of samples that they think are contaminated. Speaking to the BBC one expert described the findings as "crazy" and that there is "almost zero question" that the conduct and procedures seen in the footage would lead to contamination. However UK Biocentre said that its "test positive rate" always closely follows the average across the country, and that therefore its results are robust and trustworthy. It has labelled the findings of the filming as "incomplete and selective" and that they operate "in line with industry best practice." The documentary is available to view on BBC iPlayer,  and will certainly raise questions about the accuracy of some case rates and test results across the country.