Covid testing is being scaled up amid concern over new 'Pirola' variant

Covid testing is set to be scaled up ahead of the busy winter months for the NHS. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says surveillance of coronavirus for the winter season is being ramped up as one of its 'top priorities'.

It comes amid concern over a new Covid variant in recent weeks, known as 'Pirola'. The mutilated strain, found in multiple countries, has been traced in wastewater in the UK and three known cases have been confirmed.

Last week, an early roll-out of flu and Covid vaccines was announced by the UKHSA amid concern for the new variant. Now, the Guardian reports that testing will be ramped up ahead of the winter, following the UK being accused by some experts of letting its guard down on monitoring Covid infections.

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Prof Steven Riley, the director general of data, analytics and surveillance at the UKHSA, said: “Planned scaling up of testing and community surveillance for the winter season, when health pressures usually rise, is in progress and UKHSA will make a further announcement regarding community surveillance plans for this winter shortly. Protecting the public from Covid-19 remains one of our top priorities.

"We continue to monitor the threat posed by Covid-19 through our range of surveillance systems and genomics capabilities, which report on infection rates, hospitalisations and the risks posed by new variants.’’ The NHS will be on alert for another busy winter this year, with hospitals and the ambulance service placed under massive strain 12 months ago.

Hospitals are also preparing for both junior doctors and consultants to walk out on a number of dates this autumn in a dispute over pay. The flu and