Coronavirus: Testing Open for Millions in England

Coronavirus: Testing Open for Millions in England
Coronavirus testing is available for millions more people in England from today after the government loosened rules on who can apply. Expanded eligibility now means care home residents and staff with or without symptoms can request testing.

While people over 65 and anyone who must leave home to go to work can now book a test if they have symptoms.

No 10 aims to hit its target of 100,000 tests per day by Thursday, with just over 43,000 taking place as of Monday.

The expansion in eligibility beyond just essential workers and hospital patients means 25 million people can now book through the government’s test-booking website, testing coordinator Prof John Newton told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Testing capacity has now increased to 73,400 a day, according to Downing Street, though home testing kits and appointments at regional centres in Wales ran out around an hour after Wednesday’s slots launched for booking at 08:00 BST.

But differences between the UK nations on testing emerged as Wales said it would not follow England in testing care home residents and staff who are not displaying symptoms.

Who can be tested in England?

> Hospital patients suspected of having Covid-19
> All those working on the frontline in health and social care (with or without symptoms)
> Patients in the NHS and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms)
> All other essential workers with symptoms
> Anyone over 65 with symptoms
> Anyone who goes into work because they cannot work from home (for example, construction workers) and has symptoms
> Anyone who has symptoms and lives with someone who meets any of the above criteria

It comes as the government prepares to publish for the first time up-to-date figures for all coronavirus deaths, both in hospitals and care homes. Previously, the daily reported figure has been restricted almost entirely to hospital deaths.