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Mass tests for teachers and pupils to be part of England lockdown easing, report says

Education staff, schoolchildren and families could reportedly be tested twice a week
Teachers, schoolchildren and their families could be tested for coronavirus twice a week under a plan for mass rapid testing that has been touted as key to safely easing England’s lockdown, reports claim.
As many as 400,000 rapid lateral flow tests will be sent to homes every day, supported by a public information campaign to encourage people to take tests even if they do not show any symptoms, it is claimed.
Boris Johnson is expected to give further details of the scheme when he outlines his roadmap for easing restrictions on Monday.
The Times reported on Wednesday that staff at the government’s test-and-trace programme were preparing the testing plan, which would be supported by an awareness-raising campaign provisionally titled “Are you ready? Get testing. Go.”
The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, told Sky News on Wednesday morning that the use of lateral flow tests would be “one part of the strategic jigsaw” of measures to bring the UK out of lockdown.“We learned previously, in places like Liverpool and other areas in the north, the value, particularly when you’ve got a spike, of testing done at scale and pace,” Raab said.
“The two or three things that are going to be really important if we are to ease out of lockdown safely and responsibly are, yes, of course, the vaccine and the therapeutics … but also this lateral flow testing, being able to do it at scale, at pace, so that when you do have upticks of the virus we can come down on it like a ton of bricks.”
The government is sitting on a vast supply of hundreds of millions of quick turnaround lateral flow tests bought as part of the previously aborted Operation Moonshot, a mass-testing scheme championed by Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former chief adviser. Those tests, however, were found to be inaccurate as much as 60% of the time.
The latest scheme will involve children, their parents and their support bubbles being offered tests twice a week once schools reopen in March, with a similar policy intended for teachers and close contacts. Including existing tests for people who have to leave home for work, the plan will mean about 68% of England’s population is eligible for repeated rapid testing, the Times said, citing a government document.
A subsequent expansion is planned for April and May, including the supply of rapid tests to businesses and distribution via pharmacies and the post. Royal Mail has been asked to prepare to deliver up to 75m tests a week by April.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it had not finalised further plans for testing. A spokesperson said: “We set out in the winter plan how we would use new rapid testing technologies at scale across a range of different sectors.
“As previously announced, we are now deploying lateral flow tests across the country to test NHS and care home staff, as well as in targeted settings including schools, universities and to key workers. Testing and tracing is helping us bear down on the rate of infection. It remains absolutely paramount that everyone follows the rules to stop the virus.
source: Damien Gayle
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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