Jim Reed
@jimreedbbc.bsky.social
BBC health reporter covering the Covid inquiry and all things health (and a bit science) really.
That point was also made by Northern Ireland's chief medical officer Brian McBride who said tests needed to be prioritised for those who needed medical care or kept back for those who might fall seriously ill.
May 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
That point was also made by Northern Ireland's chief medical officer Brian McBride who said tests needed to be prioritised for those who needed medical care or kept back for those who might fall seriously ill.
In the afternoon we heard from Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist MP and health minister at time. He said "test, test, test" was an "easy soundbite" but reality was that Northern Ireland simply didn't have enough capacity to continue widespread community testing at that point.
May 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
In the afternoon we heard from Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist MP and health minister at time. He said "test, test, test" was an "easy soundbite" but reality was that Northern Ireland simply didn't have enough capacity to continue widespread community testing at that point.
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, the current first minister but deputy at the time, was more outspoken, as you might imagine. In the 16/3 meeting she argued NI should not just be "blindly following" England and should be listening to WHO advice to "test, test, test".
May 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, the current first minister but deputy at the time, was more outspoken, as you might imagine. In the 16/3 meeting she argued NI should not just be "blindly following" England and should be listening to WHO advice to "test, test, test".
Quick summary of what happened today at #covidinquiry where it's all been about test and trace in Northern Ireland. And all focus was on what sounds like a right barney of a meeting on 16 March 2020 - a week before lockdown - about a decision to scrap community testing for Covid.
May 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Quick summary of what happened today at #covidinquiry where it's all been about test and trace in Northern Ireland. And all focus was on what sounds like a right barney of a meeting on 16 March 2020 - a week before lockdown - about a decision to scrap community testing for Covid.
He was again asked about (apparently) lower uptake of the NHS App in Wales and was very sceptical about the data. But did suggest could be older population so digital exclusion and said Wales didn't rely on app in same way as had "more successful" contact tracing operation.
May 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
He was again asked about (apparently) lower uptake of the NHS App in Wales and was very sceptical about the data. But did suggest could be older population so digital exclusion and said Wales didn't rely on app in same way as had "more successful" contact tracing operation.
He was asked about decision by Wales to develop own test and trace programme rather than use English one. He said one reason was language & cultural issues - "would someone in Billericay (Essex) know names of Welsh towns & villages?" Poss 1st Gavin & Stacey reference at inquiry!
May 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
He was asked about decision by Wales to develop own test and trace programme rather than use English one. He said one reason was language & cultural issues - "would someone in Billericay (Essex) know names of Welsh towns & villages?" Poss 1st Gavin & Stacey reference at inquiry!
And finally we heard about 90 mins worth of testimony from Wales's former first minister Mark Drakeford, making his third appearance at #covidinquiry. Again he was asked about Welsh government policies to do with test and trace.
May 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
And finally we heard about 90 mins worth of testimony from Wales's former first minister Mark Drakeford, making his third appearance at #covidinquiry. Again he was asked about Welsh government policies to do with test and trace.
Like other witnesses he was asked about the - apparently - low uptake of NHS Covid app in Wales (although was no lower than some parts of England to be honest). He said was "proximity app", not a "contact tracing app" and he "couldn't honestly say" why rates were lower in Wales.
May 20, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Like other witnesses he was asked about the - apparently - low uptake of NHS Covid app in Wales (although was no lower than some parts of England to be honest). He said was "proximity app", not a "contact tracing app" and he "couldn't honestly say" why rates were lower in Wales.
nd in this afternoon's session at #covidinquiry... there was more on the Welsh government response re: test and trace. First up was Wales's health minister through most of the pandemic (and then short-lived first minister) Vaughan Gething.
May 20, 2025 at 5:47 PM
nd in this afternoon's session at #covidinquiry... there was more on the Welsh government response re: test and trace. First up was Wales's health minister through most of the pandemic (and then short-lived first minister) Vaughan Gething.
Then we heard from Jo-Anne Daniels, the official who led the test and trace programme in Wales (called TTP - Test, Trace & Protect). Here she is on the left hand side being sworn in earlier this morning.
May 20, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Then we heard from Jo-Anne Daniels, the official who led the test and trace programme in Wales (called TTP - Test, Trace & Protect). Here she is on the left hand side being sworn in earlier this morning.
Quick summary of what happened this morning at #covidinquiry. We started off with Dan York-Smith, who is director general of tax and welfare at the Treasury. So lots of questions about the amount of money involved in test and trace and support payments for people told to isolate.
May 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Quick summary of what happened this morning at #covidinquiry. We started off with Dan York-Smith, who is director general of tax and welfare at the Treasury. So lots of questions about the amount of money involved in test and trace and support payments for people told to isolate.
They drew up this plan for how the testing system should work which was SO BIG and COMPLICATED that they asked for it to be printed ouDeloitte's job was not to do policy stuff. It was "not to look at the What or Why - but the How," said Cook.
May 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
They drew up this plan for how the testing system should work which was SO BIG and COMPLICATED that they asked for it to be printed ouDeloitte's job was not to do policy stuff. It was "not to look at the What or Why - but the How," said Cook.
Here's the breakdown, seen by the inquiry, of all those contracts in detail. Cook said in evidence that a "very significant discount" was applied to the cost of (most of) these contracts through the whole pandemic.
May 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Here's the breakdown, seen by the inquiry, of all those contracts in detail. Cook said in evidence that a "very significant discount" was applied to the cost of (most of) these contracts through the whole pandemic.
Finally this afternoon at #covidinquiry we heard evidence from Dominic Cook, a partner at the consultants Deloitte who were heavily involved in loads of work on the test and trace programme, with contracts worth a meaty £395 million over the course of the pandemic.
May 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Finally this afternoon at #covidinquiry we heard evidence from Dominic Cook, a partner at the consultants Deloitte who were heavily involved in loads of work on the test and trace programme, with contracts worth a meaty £395 million over the course of the pandemic.
Prof Chris Molloy continued giving evidence after lunch. He was interesting on the shoddy state of Covid test samples coming into his labs. Emails showed appeared to arrive in all manner of different bottles and sample tubes including some, erm... "wrapped in Asda shopping bags".
May 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Prof Chris Molloy continued giving evidence after lunch. He was interesting on the shoddy state of Covid test samples coming into his labs. Emails showed appeared to arrive in all manner of different bottles and sample tubes including some, erm... "wrapped in Asda shopping bags".
Next up at #covidinquiry was Prof. Chris Molloy who oversaw the setting up of the first four Lighthouse labs in the pandemic. These were the giant sites created by the government to (eventually) process hundreds of thousands of Covid PCR tests each day.
May 19, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Next up at #covidinquiry was Prof. Chris Molloy who oversaw the setting up of the first four Lighthouse labs in the pandemic. These were the giant sites created by the government to (eventually) process hundreds of thousands of Covid PCR tests each day.
So we're in week #2 of #3 weeks of hearings at the Covid Inquiry on test and trace. First up this morning is Timothy Spector, a professor of epidemiology at Kings College London and the co-founder of the Zoe App which, in the pandemic, was used to track Covid symptoms.
May 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
So we're in week #2 of #3 weeks of hearings at the Covid Inquiry on test and trace. First up this morning is Timothy Spector, a professor of epidemiology at Kings College London and the co-founder of the Zoe App which, in the pandemic, was used to track Covid symptoms.
PSG team bus has just parked up outside the flash Langham hotel (opposite BBC HQ off Regent’s Street). Meant to show balance and all that but come on Arsenal.
April 29, 2025 at 2:39 PM
PSG team bus has just parked up outside the flash Langham hotel (opposite BBC HQ off Regent’s Street). Meant to show balance and all that but come on Arsenal.
If you read the small print looks like there’s an exemption for pharmaceuticals in the Trump tariff announcement. That will please Glaxo and AstraZeneca given the UK exports £9bn of drugs a year to the US. www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
April 3, 2025 at 6:53 AM
If you read the small print looks like there’s an exemption for pharmaceuticals in the Trump tariff announcement. That will please Glaxo and AstraZeneca given the UK exports £9bn of drugs a year to the US. www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
Conservative peer Lord Agnew getting punchy at #covidinquiry this pm. At one point calling controversy around the VIP lane (which could fast track PPE offers from firms with political connections) "such bollocks". Here talking to lawyer for bereaved families.
March 18, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Conservative peer Lord Agnew getting punchy at #covidinquiry this pm. At one point calling controversy around the VIP lane (which could fast track PPE offers from firms with political connections) "such bollocks". Here talking to lawyer for bereaved families.
NHS Blood & Transplant invited load of health journalists to give blood today and promised would post about it. I didn’t do it until last year (bit pathetic re needles) and it really is so easy. Turns out my subtype is R0 so rare and partic useful for sickle cell patients.
March 13, 2025 at 7:51 PM
NHS Blood & Transplant invited load of health journalists to give blood today and promised would post about it. I didn’t do it until last year (bit pathetic re needles) and it really is so easy. Turns out my subtype is R0 so rare and partic useful for sickle cell patients.
Here's witness list for last week of #covidinquiry on vaccines & drugs. Ex-ministers including Kemi Badenoch plus Dr Clive Dix (v involved in Vaccine Task Force), Eddie Gray (ran Antiviral Taskforce) and Sarah Moore (represents those injured by jabs). And UK boss of Moderna.
January 23, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Here's witness list for last week of #covidinquiry on vaccines & drugs. Ex-ministers including Kemi Badenoch plus Dr Clive Dix (v involved in Vaccine Task Force), Eddie Gray (ran Antiviral Taskforce) and Sarah Moore (represents those injured by jabs). And UK boss of Moderna.
On whether the jabs are responsible for heart failure, of which there has been some… debate, they said the data actually suggests a reduced risk among those who received Covid vaccines, not the other way around.
January 23, 2025 at 8:27 AM
On whether the jabs are responsible for heart failure, of which there has been some… debate, they said the data actually suggests a reduced risk among those who received Covid vaccines, not the other way around.
Usefully they do look at the risk of the same adverse reactions after contracting Covid. For many rare side effects (ie Guillain-Barré Syndrome) some of data suggests risk may be higher post infection than after vaccine.
January 23, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Usefully they do look at the risk of the same adverse reactions after contracting Covid. For many rare side effects (ie Guillain-Barré Syndrome) some of data suggests risk may be higher post infection than after vaccine.
They also analysed all available evidence on side effects. It goes through most the main adverse reactions linked to Covid jabs and sets out available evidence in detail for each of them. Here’s the summary on myocarditis for example after the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines.
January 23, 2025 at 8:27 AM
They also analysed all available evidence on side effects. It goes through most the main adverse reactions linked to Covid jabs and sets out available evidence in detail for each of them. Here’s the summary on myocarditis for example after the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines.