Three local UK companies to make rapid Covid-19 tests: Report

The companies will produce as many as two million lateral flow devices a week for the country, according to the report.

The UK government has chosen three domestic companies to make rapid Covid-19 tests to reduce reliance on foreign producers and prepare for future infectious disease outbreaks, the Financial Times reported.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson watches as nurse Rebecca Cathersides administers the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Lyn Wheeler at Guy's Hospital in London. (AP)

The Department of Health selected London-listed Omega Diagnostics, SureScreen and Global Access Diagnostics, the paper said, citing two unidentified people briefed on the decision.

The companies will produce as many as two million lateral flow devices a week for the country, according to the report.

The health department said its procurement strategy ensures the U.K. has supplies for both the existing symptomatic testing and the expanding program of asymptomatic screening, according to the newspaper.

The companies declined to comment to the Financial Times on contracts with the government.