Healthcare company, Salutaris People, which provides rapid PCR testing at Liverpool John Lennon Airport in the UK, has reported a 10-fold surge in bookings for its rapid PCR tests.
According to Salutaris People the unprecedented demand has been triggered by passengers who had originally booked subsidised PCR tests through airlines and package holiday operators. After using self-administered postal PCR tests, their results had been returned as ‘unclear’ from laboratories. An ‘unclear’ test result is when a PCR test is returned inconclusive and does not indicate either a ‘positive’ or a ‘negative’ test result. Other travellers had reported delays in receiving their results, which had prompted them to take a secondary PCR test to avoid missing their scheduled flights and holidays.
“We have experienced a surge in the last two weeks, which has been due to a number of airline passengers booking secondary PCR tests with us,” said Ben Paglia, Managing Director of AKEA Life, the clinical testing partners to Salutaris People.
He explained that, “Unclear test results can occur for two reasons. More often than not, this is down tot he test being self-administered by the public and not carried out by a trained healthcare professional. The secondary reason id down to the way in which the tests are transported to the lab, which can also affect the test result. With the airlines and travel companies using postal PCR test kits, there is the continued risk of more incidents like this occurring. This not only creates a further cost for the passenger with secondary testing, but also creates uncertainty over whether the test result will come back unclear.
“Unfortunately, the test providers and the laboratories will not offer a refund to a customer when an ‘unclear’ test is confirmed. In the unlikely event of that happening – where a person has attended the Salutaris test suite for a rapid PCR test and an ‘unclear’ result was produced – we would naturally refund the customer or provide a second test free of charge.” he added.
Offering trained healthcare professionals who administer PCR tests in person with test results processed immediately at its onsite laboratory Salutaris People provides the rapid PCR testing service in partnership with Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Test Assurance Group (TAG). The purpose-built private test suite and onsite laboratory is located adjacent to the airport in an existing overflow car park. Passengers can book their test online with free parking provided next to the test suites. Tests results can be returned within 24 hours or passengers can opt for a 3-hour epxress service.
As well as Liverpool John Lennon Airport Salutaris People’s service is also offered to passengers flying from Manchester Airport.
