Rapid testing could see Manchester’s nightclubs and theatres reopen

Boris Johnson has suggested that the use of rapid testing is the ‘route forward’ for reopening nightclubs and theatres.

Speaking at the Downing Street conference on Monday, prime minister Boris Johnson said the use  of lateral flow tests could be the ‘route forward’ to reopen those business that have been ‘the toughest nuts to crack’. 

Since the first lockdown was introduced in March last year, nightclubs have remained closed while theatres opened briefly with reduced capacity in summer. 

When asked about the prospect of ‘vaccine passports’ being used to demonstrate whether a person has had the jab, the prime minister explained that international travel would likely require proof of vaccination. 

However, he suggested the use of testing would be a likelier option within the UK.

Mr Johnson said: “Some countries, clearly, are going to be wanting to insist that people coming to their country have evidence of a vaccination – just as people have insisted in the past that you have evidence you are vaccinated against Yellow Fever or other diseases.

“For the purposes of this country and doing things within the domestic UK economy, we will look at everything.

“But what we are thinking of at the moment is more of a route that relies on mass vaccination – we intend to vaccinate all of the adults in the country by the autumn – plus lateral flow testing, rapid testing for those bits that have been the toughest nuts to crack.

“Such as nightclubs or theatres – those parts of the economy we couldn’t get open last year.

“I think that will be the route that we go down and that businesses will go down. You are already seeing lots of business using the potential of rapid, on-the-day testing as well.

“I think that, in combination with vaccination, will probably be the route forward.”

Manchester’s Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord has now responded to the news. 

He said: “The night time and live music industry has been discussing the need for on-site rapid testing for over five months, and we have suggested this on multiple occasions to MPs and during Select Committee hearings.

“I’m pleased the Prime Minister picked up on this suggestion today. It’s a positive step forward for all involved in the sector. We now need to keep momentum and implement these ideas as fast as possible. My fear is that they take another five months to get moving, which the industry simply doesn’t have.

“The sector has been shattered over the past eleven months, and to echo the PM, the damage any further delay will have on the UK’s cultural sector will be irreversible.”

In the conference, the prime minister warned that it is still ‘early days’ in easing lockdown measures and ‘there are lots of discussions to be had’. 

Last week, the government’s chief scientific adviser described lateral flow tests as a ‘really important part of our toolkit’. It is reported the government has spent more than £1bn on lateral flow tests.