During the summer of 2020, rates of covid infection declined markedly in most parts of the United Kingdom. Average hospitalisations from covid fell to 119 per day on 1 August 2020 compared to 3,000 per day in early April. Yet as soon as infections began to rise in September 2020—when schools, universities and many workplaces returned after the summer holidays—the test and trace system was found once again wanting. A period of relative calm in August did not appear to have been used to anticipate and prepare for what was likely to be needed during the Autumn. 289 GOV.UK, ‘Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 September 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 290 GOV.UK, ‘Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 September 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 291 Independent, ‘Boris Johnson’s plans for mass coronavirus testing may not work, government’s top scientific adviser warns’, 10 September 2020 292 Multidisciplinary Task and Finish Group on Mass Testing, Consensus Statement for SAGE, 31 August 2020 293 GOV.UK, ‘Liverpool to be regularly tested for coronavirus in first whole city testing pilot: 3 November 2020’, accessed 17 September 2021 294 GOV.UK, Twice weekly rapid testing to be available to everyone in England: 5 April 2021, accessed 17 September 2021 295 National Audit Office, The government’s approach to test and trace in England—interim report, 11 December 2020, page 36 296 British Medical Journal, Government plans to spend £100bn on expanding testing to 10 million a day, 9 September 2020 297 Multidisciplinary Task and Finish Group on Mass Testing, Consensus Statement for SAGE, 31 August 2020 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 69