Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the difficulty of undergoing covid-19 PCR testing for disabled and neurodivergent children.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has explored tests where saliva is collected through spitting into a receptacle or with a ‘lollypop’ absorbing swab, rather than from nose or throat swabbing, through a usability study in special educational needs settings. However, these types of tests were not accurate enough for our symptomatic testing requirements. The UKHSA continues to review and evaluate the usability of emerging technologies for those in vulnerable settings and populations.