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| Coronavirus: Testing rolled out for frontline NHS staff | Coronavirus: Testing rolled out for frontline NHS staff |
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| Frontline NHS staff in England will start being tested this weekend to see whether they have coronavirus. | Frontline NHS staff in England will start being tested this weekend to see whether they have coronavirus. |
| Workers with symptoms or those who live with people who have symptoms will be checked - starting with critical care doctors and nurses. | Workers with symptoms or those who live with people who have symptoms will be checked - starting with critical care doctors and nurses. |
| It follows criticism over a lack of testing for health workers. | It follows criticism over a lack of testing for health workers. |
| Meanwhile, the prime minister and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are self-isolating after testing positive for the virus. | Meanwhile, the prime minister and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are self-isolating after testing positive for the virus. |
| Boris Johnson, 55, said he had experienced mild symptoms over the past 24 hours but would continue to lead the government's response to the pandemic while working from his Downing Street home. Mr Hancock said his symptoms were also mild and he was working from home. | Boris Johnson, 55, said he had experienced mild symptoms over the past 24 hours but would continue to lead the government's response to the pandemic while working from his Downing Street home. Mr Hancock said his symptoms were also mild and he was working from home. |
| The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK rose by 181 to 759 on Friday, with 14,543 confirmed cases. | The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK rose by 181 to 759 on Friday, with 14,543 confirmed cases. |
| Hundreds of frontline NHS staff are to be given antigen tests - to check whether they currently have the disease - this weekend, with the government promising to scale testing up "dramatically" next week. | Hundreds of frontline NHS staff are to be given antigen tests - to check whether they currently have the disease - this weekend, with the government promising to scale testing up "dramatically" next week. |
| Testing of ambulance crews, paramedics and GPs is expected to follow and this will later be expanded to cover social care staff. | Testing of ambulance crews, paramedics and GPs is expected to follow and this will later be expanded to cover social care staff. |
| In Wales, frontline NHS staff are already being screened for the virus, while Scotland's chief medical officer has confirmed a protocol for testing "significant" figures. | In Wales, frontline NHS staff are already being screened for the virus, while Scotland's chief medical officer has confirmed a protocol for testing "significant" figures. |
| Northern Ireland plans to increase testing to 1,000 a day from next week. | Northern Ireland plans to increase testing to 1,000 a day from next week. |
| What are the tests for coronavirus? | What are the tests for coronavirus? |
| There are two main types of coronavirus test that are useful in fighting the epidemic: | There are two main types of coronavirus test that are useful in fighting the epidemic: |
| The antigen or "have I got coronavirus now?" test will tell you if someone is currently infected and risks spreading it to others. That's the one that is being used to check very ill patients in hospitals and will now be rolled out to NHS staff too. | The antigen or "have I got coronavirus now?" test will tell you if someone is currently infected and risks spreading it to others. That's the one that is being used to check very ill patients in hospitals and will now be rolled out to NHS staff too. |
| The antibody or "have I recently had coronavirus" test is not available to the public yet but Public Health England is ordering it in the millions and will distribute it as soon as they are confident about its accuracy. That would help tell us how many people got coronavirus with no or only mild symptoms. | The antibody or "have I recently had coronavirus" test is not available to the public yet but Public Health England is ordering it in the millions and will distribute it as soon as they are confident about its accuracy. That would help tell us how many people got coronavirus with no or only mild symptoms. |
| Both are vital to get a better handle on how to stop the spread of this deadly disease. | Both are vital to get a better handle on how to stop the spread of this deadly disease. |
| Analysis suggests the rate of infection in the UK has been doubling every three to four days, Cabinet Office secretary Michael Gove said on Friday. | Analysis suggests the rate of infection in the UK has been doubling every three to four days, Cabinet Office secretary Michael Gove said on Friday. |
| Experts expect cases to continue to increase over the next two to three weeks, before the effects of social distancing measures and restrictions on everyday life begin to have an impact. | Experts expect cases to continue to increase over the next two to three weeks, before the effects of social distancing measures and restrictions on everyday life begin to have an impact. |
| It came as the government updated its guidance on leaving the house to exercise ahead of the weekend, urging people to use "open spaces" near their home where possible and to not travel unnecessarily. | It came as the government updated its guidance on leaving the house to exercise ahead of the weekend, urging people to use "open spaces" near their home where possible and to not travel unnecessarily. |
| Meanwhile, the editor of medical journal the Lancet has heavily criticised NHS leaders for failing to heed warning signs of the pandemic from China - and said patients and NHS staff would die unnecessarily as a result. | Meanwhile, the editor of medical journal the Lancet has heavily criticised NHS leaders for failing to heed warning signs of the pandemic from China - and said patients and NHS staff would die unnecessarily as a result. |
| Richard Horton, who has been a vocal critic of the UK's coronavirus emergency plans, said February should have been used to expand coronavirus testing, train staff and ensure there was enough personal protective equipment. | Richard Horton, who has been a vocal critic of the UK's coronavirus emergency plans, said February should have been used to expand coronavirus testing, train staff and ensure there was enough personal protective equipment. |
| The BBC's medical correspondent Fergus Walsh says those at the top of the NHS and ministers would strongly reject such claims and point to the huge work under way to meet the challenge of the epidemic. | The BBC's medical correspondent Fergus Walsh says those at the top of the NHS and ministers would strongly reject such claims and point to the huge work under way to meet the challenge of the epidemic. |
| The British Medical Association (BMA) said the move towards testing NHS staff in England was "long overdue". | The British Medical Association (BMA) said the move towards testing NHS staff in England was "long overdue". |
| Previously, only seriously ill patients in hospital with flu-like symptoms were being routinely tested for the virus. | Previously, only seriously ill patients in hospital with flu-like symptoms were being routinely tested for the virus. |
| At the moment about 6,000 people are tested daily. But by the end of March the government wants to test 10,000 people a day, rising to 25,000 by mid-April. | At the moment about 6,000 people are tested daily. But by the end of March the government wants to test 10,000 people a day, rising to 25,000 by mid-April. |
| "For every healthy member of staff at home self-isolating needlessly when they do not have the virus, the NHS is short of someone who could be providing vital care to patients on the front line," the BMA's chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said. | "For every healthy member of staff at home self-isolating needlessly when they do not have the virus, the NHS is short of someone who could be providing vital care to patients on the front line," the BMA's chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said. |
| The first of three new laboratories is expected to start operating over the weekend and will initially process around 800 samples, the government said, with the others opening soon. | The first of three new laboratories is expected to start operating over the weekend and will initially process around 800 samples, the government said, with the others opening soon. |
| Dozens of universities, research institutes and companies are lending equipment for use in the labs. | Dozens of universities, research institutes and companies are lending equipment for use in the labs. |
| The samples will be taken in a number of locations around the country, initially focusing on coronavirus hotspots such as London. | The samples will be taken in a number of locations around the country, initially focusing on coronavirus hotspots such as London. |
| Dr James Gill, honorary clinical lecturer at Warwick Medical School, said an antibody test - which sees whether someone has already had coronavirus - could "revolutionise" diagnosis and screening for Covid-19 by providing "a rapid bedside test not that dissimilar to a pregnancy test, or a diabetic's blood sugar test". | Dr James Gill, honorary clinical lecturer at Warwick Medical School, said an antibody test - which sees whether someone has already had coronavirus - could "revolutionise" diagnosis and screening for Covid-19 by providing "a rapid bedside test not that dissimilar to a pregnancy test, or a diabetic's blood sugar test". |
| Niall Dickson, head of the NHS Confederation, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the NHS and social care system was "bracing itself for a massive surge in cases" - but there was hope of avoiding a surge in demand on the health service if people complied with social distancing rules. | Niall Dickson, head of the NHS Confederation, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the NHS and social care system was "bracing itself for a massive surge in cases" - but there was hope of avoiding a surge in demand on the health service if people complied with social distancing rules. |
| Meanwhile, guidance for health workers on personal protective equipment is expected to be updated within days, following calls for greater clarity. | Meanwhile, guidance for health workers on personal protective equipment is expected to be updated within days, following calls for greater clarity. |
| Mike Adams, from the Royal College of Nursing, said he was "still getting inundated with messages" from staff who were finding PPE was not available or in short supply or saying there was inconsistent messaging around when to use it. | Mike Adams, from the Royal College of Nursing, said he was "still getting inundated with messages" from staff who were finding PPE was not available or in short supply or saying there was inconsistent messaging around when to use it. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
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