Coronavirus tests for all essential workers who need them with contact tracing to be ramped up, Matt Hancock says

Jacob Jarvis23 April 2020

All essential workers are to be able to get coronavirus tests if they need them due to increased screening capacity, health secretary Matt Hancock announced today.

He said employers will be able to apply for essential workers to receive examinations, while as of tomorrow such employees themselves will be able to book them directly.

"We can make it easier, faster and simpler for any essential worker who needs a test to get a test," he said.

Those living in the same homes as essential workers will also be able to get screenings, Mr Hancock said.

“From today, employers of essential workers will be able to go on gov.uk to get a test for any of their staff," he said.

“From tomorrow, any essential workers who need a test will be able to book an appointment on gov.uk themselves, directly.

“This all applies for people in essential workers’ households too who need a test.

“It’s all part of getting Britain back on her feet.”

Mr Hancock said further testing will help experts to further understand the coronavirus outbreak.

Moving forward, he also said the Government was working on the infrastructure for "large-scale" contact tracing.

"Test, track and trace will be vital to stop a second peak of the virus," he said.

Mr Hancock said a new NHS contact-tracing app was undergoing testing, while he said some 18,000 people were being employed to help in the tracing effort.

As pressure has mounted on upping tests, Mr Hancock said capacity for carrying out tests was now “ahead of our plans”, with the ability to carry out more than 50,000 tests a day.

“Because capacity has now increased so substantially we are now able to expand who can get the tests," he said.

“Our ultimate goal is that everyone who could benefit from a test gets a test.”

Earlier in the conference, Mr Hancock said lifting coronavirus lockdown measures too soon would "be a mistake".

With people questioning how the lockdown will end, he said: “I understand the thirst for knowledge. The tests that we have set out, which are the basis from which others – for instance the Scottish Government – have then developed their plans, those tests are the critical tests for when changes can be made.

“Of course, monitoring what is happening and making sure that we move at the right time is absolutely critical."

It comes as the UK's lockdown continues, while the death toll for coronavirus patients in hospitals nears 19,000.

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