There have been conversations going on for weeks about a shortage in supply for lateral flow tests, ever since the latest variant of Covid-19 - Omicron swept across the country. 

But just how easy is it to get hold of a test now? We asked a dozen or so pharmacies in Wiltshire what the current supply was like. 

The ones which told us they do have lateral flow tests in stock included: 

  • Lloyds pharmacy in Melksham's Sainsbury's on Bath road
  • Lloyds pharmacy on St Lukes Drive in Chippenham
  • Boots on Malmesbury's High Street
  • Morrisons pharmacy on Estcourt Street in Devizes
  • Kennett Pharmacy in Marlborough 
  • Silver Street pharmacy in Bradford-on-Avon
  • And both the Dispensing Chemist and Boots in Westbury had lateral flow tests available. 

Well Calne said they do have some tests in, but only have a few boxes left in New Library Buildings. 

But some pharmacies admitted that they were still struggling with the shortage and had no tests available at the moment.

These included:

  • Day Lewis Pharmacy located at the Station Approach in Bradford-on-Avon 
  • Cohens Chemist in Trowbridge. 
  • Boots in Warminster's Market Place also currently do not have any tests at the moment, but noted they are hoping they may get some by this afternoon (Monday, January 17). 

Plans to ration supply

Although it seems it is not impossible to get hold of lateral flow tests at this point in time, it is clear that the problem has not yet been fully resolved. 

UK health secretary Sajid Javid wrote a letter to MPs previously where he stated:
“We expect to need to constrain the system at certain points over the next two weeks to manage supply over the course of each day, with new tranches of supply released regularly throughout each day.” 

Wales loans the UK 4 million tests to help out

To give the UK a much-needed boost in the way of lateral flow tests, The Welsh government "loaned" four million to the UK government, and professional health bodies in England have been trying to prioritise them to those in most need of the tests, such as NHS staff.

Deals such as these are not unusual between the Welsh and UK governments and have been common over the course of the pandemic to address shortages of tests and PPE.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "Wales has a significant stock of lateral flow tests, sufficient to meet our needs over the weeks ahead."

Have easy have you found it to get hold of a lateral flow test? Let us know in the comments.