New Scientist on R number

I have a friend in rural East Staffordshire who has tried in vain to get a test for her husband who has a cough. The nearest centre was about 25 miles away - too far when you are 70 and not well - but there were “no slots available” for several days no matter how many times she tried. They are now both self isolating, possibly unnecessarily.
Another friend has a friend in Northampton who is a reception teacher whose small son has a “cough”. She tried on-line to book a test for both of them and was offered slots in Dundee in Scotland - several hundred mikes away. Madness!
For a system which is supposed to be “World-class” it seems it is actually pretty useless. One can only wonder how much the Cummings family, who I believe have the contract for this system, are making from this fiasco at our expense!

The govt. is back to trying to manipulate figures. It's so difficult to get a test, That only a fraction of those who have Covid are being counted.

My granddaughter has been at school for 4 days and is now home with a very high temperature and constant coughing, but she won't have a positive test result, why? Because her parents can't drive a 240mile round trip!