James O'Brien caller in Germany makes an example of UK's "shocking" test system

16 September 2020, 16:06

By Fiona Jones

This caller in Frankfurt told James O'Brien he has had a coronavirus test after a sports match on Saturday - and the test centre came to his club. He compared this to the UK's "shocking" test system.

Nick in Frankfurt is the general manager of a sports club - after matches on Saturday it transpired some of the players were positive with coronavirus and by Wednesday, the sports club had set up a testing centre in their grounds.

Nick told James he had had a coronavirus test less than an hour ago along with all people involved at the weekend.

Nearly 200 people have been tested and they've "turned on a sixpence since Saturday," James observed.

James asked, considering that swift and efficient action, what Nick thought of the UK's testing system - especially after LBC's Westminster Correspondent Ben Kentish found that no coronavirus tests are available in England's top ten hotspots.

The caller told James O'Brien his sports club has set up a test centre since Saturday. Picture: PA/LBC

"It's shocking," Nick said, reasoning, "Germany can process lots more tests because they have the lab facilities here. They have a huge network of functioning labs plus officials, qualified trained scientists that can do it."

James accepted that this will explain some of the gulf between England and Germany but "we've had since April to get this right."

"Quite why Britain hasn't improved exponentially since April of 2020 is confusing to us all."

James reflected Nick has "won" today's conversation, having come live on LBC just after a test that was set up in his own sports club.