RESIDENTS of Harlow who woke up this morning with a temperature or any of the other symptoms associated with Covid will not have been able to book a test. The online test booking system displayed a message saying.

“This service is currently very busy.
More tests should be available later. If you cannot book a test now or the location or time are not convenient, try again in a few hours.
! Do not call the helplines-you will not be able to get a test this way.”

Councillor Mark Ingall, Labour Leader of Harlow Council said, “this is very worrying. Infection levels across the country are rising fast, but in Harlow, although the infection levels have shown a rise, the rise has been less alarming than in other parts of Essex. Now I’m wondering if the lower figures in Harlow just reflect the difficulty that residents face in getting tested.

“This government said that test and trace was a vital part of containing the spread of the virus. They said that effective test and trace was essential before all school children could safely go back school. They said test and trace was needed to allow people to return to a more normal life and help the economy recover.

“If test and trace is not working, and it wan’t here in Harlow this morning, then this government has clearly failed the residents of our town and failed the country.”