FACT CHECK

Lots of well-known figures are getting muddled on testing figures

On Question Time last Thursday, Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi claimed that the UK is “now doing about 240,000 antigen tests a day”.

This was rebutted misleadingly by host Fiona Bruce, who said “81,000 people are being tested every day.” This was shared on Twitter by comedian David Schneider and anti-Brexit campaigner Femi Oluwole. A similar claim has been made by the Sunday Times and by Angela Rayner, Labour’s Deputy Leader.

The most tests that had been processed in a single day was 238,640 on 12 September, so Mr Zahawi’s figure was broadly correct.

However the figure of 81,000 people tested isn’t comparable. It only covers people in England, not the UK and also only covers people who are newly tested each day. 

Many people, such as health workers, are tested routinely and so do not show up in these figures. 

Finally, the number of daily tests is not the same as the number of people tested daily because some people are tested more than once for a variety of reasons.

We don’t actually know how many tests are being carried out on average for every person tested, because the government doesn’t publish figures that would let us work that out. We have asked for the UK’s “people tested” figures, so far without success, but will continue trying to find out.

For the first time, YouTube will display fact checked information panels from trusted organisations including Full Fact, in an effort to stop the spread of online misinformation.

The panels will show independent, fact-checked information from third-party organisations above search results to give users more context on the issue they are searching for.

On Thursday, Full Fact Chief Executive Will Moy told Times Radio listeners: “You will now, in the UK, see fact checks from Full Fact in search results, to help you find reliable information. 

“We are finding ways of getting out to people who might be looking for trustworthy information.”

FACT CHECK

New laws won’t allow the government to keep your DNA from Covid-19 tests

Contrary to viral social media posts, new laws won’t allow authorities to “harvest and retain” your DNA from a Covid-19 test.

The new legislation, known as the Coronavirus (Retention of Fingerprints and DNA Profiles in the Interests of National Security) (No. 2) Regulations 2020, will instead extend the length of time police forces can keep DNA profiles and fingerprints, strictly in the interest of national security (in cases such as terrorism).

This DNA may have been collected through police investigations. At no point in the legislation is there any mention of DNA collected from Covid-19 tests.