To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the false-negative rate of each covid-19 test.
This answer is the replacement for a previous holding answer.
Answered on
13 May 2020
Viral Detection Tests have high levels of clinical sensitivity at close to 100%. We continue to study the clinical sensitivity levels of leading antibody tests and are seeking a test that provides more than 98% sensitivity for use for diagnostics purposes. In addition, the National Health Service take all steps to ensure we minimise the occurrence of false results using our highly skilled and regulated biomedical and clinical scientists working within laboratories that work to recognised international standards for clinical testing.