A NUMBER of people in Oxfordshire have been forced to wait more than a week to find out whether they have Covid-19.

Frustrated residents having to put their lives on hold vented online over the delays in getting their results back.

Continuing delays in the system could cause huge problems for people, who have to self-isolate while they wait.

Kelly Taylor, a woman based in Witney, shared her experience on Facebook: "My test took just over a week to come back.

ALSO READ: Murder victim named

"I had phoned after five days and was just told to wait and that I would get the results as soon as possible."

While a number of people were unsure how long they have to wait, others revealed they were told they would only hear back if the test is negative.

Resident Kim Trimble shared: "I was told I would only be contacted with results if they were positive."

But according to the NHS website people will receive a test result message whether it is positive or negative.

This comes as the pharmacy chain Boots announced that a Covid-19 test, which can return results from swab tests in only 12 minutes, will be available across the country for £120 within weeks.

Data also shows that in the latest weekly period, just 15.1 per cent of people who were tested for Covid-19 nationally at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit, received their result within 24 hours.

This was down from 32.8 per cent in the previous week and is the lowest rate on record.

ALSO READ: Dog walkers furious over field closure

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents trusts across England, said: "These figures provide yet more evidence that the test and trace system is falling short.

"The figures on turnaround times are particularly disturbing."

Commenting on the resent delays interim executive chair of the National Institute for Health Protection Baroness Dido Harding said that reducing turnaround times is the 'absolute priority' to make sure they are reaching people as soon as possible.

Ms Harding explained: "We always need to balance ensuring as many people as possible can get a test alongside ensuring test results are delivered as quickly as possible, and as capacity continues to grow at pace, we expect to see improvements."