There is still no news on how the Department for Health plans to tackle a Covid-19 test allocation problem that sends Islanders to the mainland and Mainlanders to the Island, however the County Press has again been told that the government is working on it.

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the issue. 

It is a national problem, Mr Seely's office told the County Press, caused by an intermittent fault that, in the case of the Isle of Wight, does not recognise the stretch of water when allocating the nearest appointment.

Mr Seely’s office said the Department for Health is aware of the problem and is working to remedy it, on a national level.

Yesterday, we reported on the experience of a man from Surrey who travelled to Newclose cricket ground for a test.

Read more: Key worker sent from Surrey to Isle of Wight for Covid-19 test

When the Isle of Wight County Press spoke to the Director of Public Health for the Isle of Wight last week, he too said talks were underway to try to solve the problem - urging Islanders to keep trying for a local test, not to take a ferry and to only get a test if we have key symptoms of the virus.

Read more: Covid-19 test? Latest from Director of Public Health VIDEO

However, an updated statement from Simon Bryant has not been issued about how and when the problem will be rectified.

Meanwhile, the Isle of Wight's ferry firms have repeated their advice not to travel with symptoms of coronavirus. They say that if you must travel, they need 48 hours notice to arrange for a stay-in-car crossing, and they have warned that is not possible on all sailings.