A LABORATORY based in Westbrook has invested heavily in its Covid services to offer crucial technology found in only a handful of other places across the country.

By funnelling £3million into the latest genome sequencing technology, it will be able to identify new variants of coronavirus as and when they develop.

The award-winning firm has also ramped up its operations to meet the increased demand for Covid-19 testing, employing an additional 68 people since the start of the year in a number of roles.

AlphaBiolabs provides rapid Covid-19 PCR testing for members of the public and third-party companies that are providing PCR testing to their own customers.

It also provides comprehensive workplace testing programmes for businesses, helping to keep the workplace safe and also supporting with essential travel requirements.

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The company is one of the first UK laboratories to be successfully audited by UKAS for Covid-19 testing, and is one of only a handful of labs in the UK to offer genome sequencing technology.

Rachel Davenport, director of AlphaBiolabs, believes that reporting results quickly and accurately has been key to the firm’s recent success.

She said: “All testing is performed in AlphaBiolabs’ purpose-designed laboratory.

“Investment in next-generation genome sequencing, as well as enabling rapid sample turnaround and same-day results, is vital for detecting and isolating new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as it mutates.”

PCR testing is classed as the gold standard in Covid-19 testing, and involves taking swab samples from the nose and throat which are then returned to the laboratory for analysis.

Casey Randall, head of Covid-19 testing at AlphaBiolabs, commented: “As one of the Government’s listed testing providers, we are held to the very highest of standards.

Rachel Davenport, director of AlphaBiolabs

Rachel Davenport, director of AlphaBiolabs

“A recently successful UKAS audit highlights the accuracy and reliability across our laboratory testing services, and we expect our UKAS accreditation schedule to be updated before the end of June.”

Rachel added that combining the successful audit with competitive pricing, genome sequencing and 24-hour results puts AlphaBiolabs in an especially strong position to support businesses with their Covid-19 testing requirements.

“As we gradually move out of lockdown and more people start to return to work, we have seen a significant increase in the demand for our workplace testing services,” she added.

“There is clearly a real commitment among employers to keep Covid-19 out of the workplace as businesses across the UK try to navigate and manage their operations in a proactive manner.

“Employers are understandably looking at effective testing programmes to protect both their business and their workforce.”