World-class expertise in the genomic analysis of Covid samples can’t be replicated in a local lab, the Chief Minister told Tynwald.

Howard Quayle’s comments came after leading island-based scientist Dr Rachel Glover offered to process samples for free within 48 hours.

Critics have queried why it took so long to get sequencing results back from a lab in Liverpool, results that show a variant strain of Covid has occurred in the island.

Replying to a question from Julie Edge (Onchan), Mr Quayle explained that the Liverpool University Centre for Genomic Research is part of the Covid-19 UK Genomics Consortium which includes the NHS, Public Health agencies, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and numerous academic institutions.

The Liverpool Centre is led by Professor Alistair Darby, co-director of the centre and Professor of Infection and Microbiome, Professor Steve Patterson, Professor of Genetics and Professor Julian Hiscox who holds the chair in infection and global health.

He said: ’The quality and governance of the Liverpool genomic sequencing is therefore led and overseen not only by internationally-recognised experts within the Liverpool service but also more widely across the UK national consortium.

’Using Liverpool as our provider of genomic sequencing not only gives us access to the highest quality laboratory technical service but also to support from world-class experts in interpreting the results.

’It would not be possible to replicate this level of quality from a local, standalone service.’

Mr Quayle said the turn-around time for samples sent for sequencing is five working days.

He said it had taken longer to get the test results this time due to the Christmas and New Year break.

But he insisted there is no need for an urgent turnaround as it makes no difference to management of cases, clusters or transmission chains.

He said the government was hoping to get results back quicker than five days as a link is being set up between the Liverpool and island labs so that the transfer of results can happen within 24 hours.

Mr Quayle said the sequencing has to be done in an approved laboratory.

’You can’t have individual labs doing this, it has to be recognised centre,’ he said.

Chris Thomas said analysis of the genomes had another purpose than just be part of UK research - and that was to assist contact tracing and better understand clusters.

’People of the Isle of Man are getting the very best service from our friends in Liverpool,’ Mr Quayle said.

Health Minister David Ashford said feeding into the Liverpool centre provided ’consistency and oversight of process’ and it was ’important that we didn’t end up dependent on a single person’.