Shameless individuals have been showing off their Covid test stockpiles after Boris Johnson announced they would no longer be free.
Following the announcement last night (21 February), the government website ran out of lateral flow tests altogether and, at the time of writing, they are still unavailable.
Previously, individuals could order one Covid test pack every 24 hours. However, the government have already begun their six-week phase out of free testing, as packs are now limited to one every 72 hours.
Those who still wish to continue testing face spending £20 to £25 per box of seven, according to MailOnline. That works out to around £3 to £5 per test.
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Unabashed Britons have proudly shown off their hoards of tests on Twitter, despite the website running out as a result of stockpiling.
One person, who has stockpiled more than 25 packs, tweeted: “When the Government wants to start charging for lateral flow tests. I've come fully prepared so I don't run out of Covid tests.”
Another said: “Both of us working in education, we test very regularly - to protect ourselves and our students. I knew they’d scrap the free testing so have been ordering test packs whenever I remember.”
Some outrageous individuals have even turned the situation into a business opportunity, as one tweeted: “If people order a load of free lateral flow tests now, then once it's April 1st, they can sell them cheaper than the government, at least the money won't be going to them.”
Those who live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where tests will remain free, are planning to stockpile tests to send to their loved ones in England.
One person wrote: “Gonna start stocking up on lateral flow tests to take back to my family asap. Very glad testing and isolation rules are staying the same in Wales at the moment."
As things stand, individuals should be able to pick up tests in pharmacies, as well as the government website, at no extra cost until April.
However, it appears pharmacies are facing their own shortages as a result of stockpiling, as one person tweeted: “I’m unable to get any lateral flow tests delivered to my home. My local pharmacy doesn’t have any available for me to collect. I have no tests left. I work with the most vulnerable people in society. What do I do now if I have the mildest symptoms?”
Another wrote: “Why if you can get free lateral flow tests until April have I just wasted time trying to order some to be told you have no slots! It’s ridiculous."
Topics: Coronavirus, Boris Johnson, UK News
Abbi Murray