This will mean people who cannot work from home and
those aged 65 and over can know for sure whether they
have coronavirus and need to continue isolating.
Members of their households with symptoms – a new
continuous cough or high temperature - will also be
eligible for testing.
Anyone eligible can book a test using an online
portal.
The government also announced that NHS staff, care home
staff and care home residents will be eligible for
testing whether or not they have symptoms.
Working with Public Health England, the Care Quality
Commission and the Association of Directors of Adult
Social Services, the government is piloting sending
packages of ‘satellite’ test kits directly to care
homes across England to enable testing of residents.
So far, 4,760 tests have been delivered to more than
4,300 locations. In addition, over 25,000 care staff
have already been tested.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said:
Expansion of our testing programme protects our most
vulnerable and keeps people safe.
Testing is now available to all over 65s and members
of their households, if they have symptoms.
Any worker who needs to leave their home in order to
go to work, and their households, if any of them have
symptoms can also get a test. This means construction
workers to emergency plumbers, research scientists to
those in manufacturing - can now be tested.
All they need to do is go on the internet and apply
for a test.
Testing for coronavirus helps the government and
scientists understand its current spread and plan how
to manage the pandemic.
As capacity has increased, testing has been offered to
different groups in a phased approach, prioritising NHS
workers. However, the ultimate aim is that anyone who
needs a test will be able to have one.
Today’s announcement marks a further step towards that
goal. It follows the announcement last week that all
essential workers with symptoms can now book a
coronavirus test, or order a home testing kit, using
the new online portal.
There are now more than 40 drive-through testing sites
across the country, and, by the end of the week, 25,000
home testing kits will be available for ordering every
day.
A network of mobile testing units is also travelling
the country to reach care homes, police stations,
prisons and other sites where there is demand for
testing. The network is expected to reach over 70 units
by the weekend.
Since the beginning of April, the government has
significantly increased the UK’s coronavirus testing
capacity, which currently stands at 73,400 tests per
day and is on track to reach 100,000 tests daily by the
end of the month.
The response to coronavirus is a national effort. Each
of the devolved administrations will have their own
eligibility criteria and testing priorities, however
the government is working closely to align approaches.
