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| Coronavirus: Military to test key workers in mobile units | Coronavirus: Military to test key workers in mobile units |
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| The military is to begin testing essential workers around the UK for coronavirus in mobile units which will operate in "hard to reach" areas. | The military is to begin testing essential workers around the UK for coronavirus in mobile units which will operate in "hard to reach" areas. |
| At least 96 new pop-up facilities, which will travel to care homes, police and fire stations, prisons and benefits centres, are due to be running by May. | At least 96 new pop-up facilities, which will travel to care homes, police and fire stations, prisons and benefits centres, are due to be running by May. |
| It comes as the government looks to reach its target of carrying out 100,000 tests per day by Thursday. | It comes as the government looks to reach its target of carrying out 100,000 tests per day by Thursday. |
| More than 20,000 people have died with coronavirus in the UK. | More than 20,000 people have died with coronavirus in the UK. |
| Another 813 deaths were announced on Saturday. Figures showed that 28,760 coronavirus tests were taken in the previous 24 hours, far short of the government's daily target of 100,000 - which it aims to achieve by the end of April. | Another 813 deaths were announced on Saturday. Figures showed that 28,760 coronavirus tests were taken in the previous 24 hours, far short of the government's daily target of 100,000 - which it aims to achieve by the end of April. |
| Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show the government has to "ramp testing right up" but added it was "on track" to hit its target. | Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show the government has to "ramp testing right up" but added it was "on track" to hit its target. |
| "We have certainly got to get the daily testing right up to hundreds of thousands which, along with the tracking and tracing, gives us… more flexibility because we can open up measures, open up access," Mr Raab said. | "We have certainly got to get the daily testing right up to hundreds of thousands which, along with the tracking and tracing, gives us… more flexibility because we can open up measures, open up access," Mr Raab said. |
| "That, along with the vaccine and therapeutics will be the medium to long-term way of dealing with coronavirus sustainably and responsibly for good." | "That, along with the vaccine and therapeutics will be the medium to long-term way of dealing with coronavirus sustainably and responsibly for good." |
| Some health and care workers have previously reported having to make long journeys to their nearest drive-through testing centres. | Some health and care workers have previously reported having to make long journeys to their nearest drive-through testing centres. |
| Many care homes have said none of their staff have been tested, while others have spoken of struggles to access official test centres after reporting online they have symptoms. | Many care homes have said none of their staff have been tested, while others have spoken of struggles to access official test centres after reporting online they have symptoms. |
| Of 210 care providers contacted by the BBC earlier this week, 159 said none of their workers had been tested. | Of 210 care providers contacted by the BBC earlier this week, 159 said none of their workers had been tested. |
| The new pop-up facilities, which can be set up in 20 minutes, will see swabs collected by "specially trained" military personnel and taken to one of three "mega labs" to be processed, with results expected within 48 hours. | The new pop-up facilities, which can be set up in 20 minutes, will see swabs collected by "specially trained" military personnel and taken to one of three "mega labs" to be processed, with results expected within 48 hours. |
| The number of units is being scaled up after a successful pilot last week, with eight mobile units already testing key workers on Sunday, in areas including Salisbury, Southport and Teesside. | The number of units is being scaled up after a successful pilot last week, with eight mobile units already testing key workers on Sunday, in areas including Salisbury, Southport and Teesside. |
| The extra 80-or so units, expected to be running by the start of May, would travel to areas where there was "significant demand", the government said. | The extra 80-or so units, expected to be running by the start of May, would travel to areas where there was "significant demand", the government said. |
| The armed forces will staff 92 of the units, while civilian contractors will operate a further four located in Northern Ireland, the DHSC said. | The armed forces will staff 92 of the units, while civilian contractors will operate a further four located in Northern Ireland, the DHSC said. |
| The UK has come a long way on testing. When the first cases of coronavirus emerged, the government was reliant on eight Public Health England labs, which could carry out little more than 1,000 tests a day. | The UK has come a long way on testing. When the first cases of coronavirus emerged, the government was reliant on eight Public Health England labs, which could carry out little more than 1,000 tests a day. |
| That then expanded to include hospital labs, before a network of drive-through testing centres was created - there are around 30, but they will increase to nearly 50 soon - supported by three mega-labs for processing tests. | That then expanded to include hospital labs, before a network of drive-through testing centres was created - there are around 30, but they will increase to nearly 50 soon - supported by three mega-labs for processing tests. |
| The aim is to get to the target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month. | The aim is to get to the target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month. |
| But as the range of people entitled to testing has increased, one of the issues has been ensuring it is available close to where people need it. A drive-through centre 30 miles from a care worker who does not have access to a car is of little use for example. | But as the range of people entitled to testing has increased, one of the issues has been ensuring it is available close to where people need it. A drive-through centre 30 miles from a care worker who does not have access to a car is of little use for example. |
| The pop-up testing centres run by the military, which are also coinciding with the development of home testing kits, are an attempt to remedy that and ensure the full testing capacity is used. Currently only around half the 50,000 available tests on any given day are being carried out. | The pop-up testing centres run by the military, which are also coinciding with the development of home testing kits, are an attempt to remedy that and ensure the full testing capacity is used. Currently only around half the 50,000 available tests on any given day are being carried out. |
| And mobile units set up by the military to carry out tests at care homes will be in operation in Scotland by next week, the Scottish health secretary has said. | And mobile units set up by the military to carry out tests at care homes will be in operation in Scotland by next week, the Scottish health secretary has said. |
| Jeane Freeman told the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland: "We anticipate in the coming week we will have five of those and that is to be followed by a further eight." | Jeane Freeman told the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland: "We anticipate in the coming week we will have five of those and that is to be followed by a further eight." |
| Prof John Newton, who is co-ordinating coronavirus testing for the government, said the new mobile testing units would help achieve the goal of performing 100,000 tests a day by "providing tests to vital frontline workers wherever they need them". | Prof John Newton, who is co-ordinating coronavirus testing for the government, said the new mobile testing units would help achieve the goal of performing 100,000 tests a day by "providing tests to vital frontline workers wherever they need them". |
| He said efforts to increase capacity had resulted in "scores of new testing facilities and Britain's largest network of diagnostic labs in history". | He said efforts to increase capacity had resulted in "scores of new testing facilities and Britain's largest network of diagnostic labs in history". |
| Since Friday, millions of key workers and people they live with have been able to book appointments online to be tested. Those too ill to travel should also be able to order home kits - although numbers are limited. | Since Friday, millions of key workers and people they live with have been able to book appointments online to be tested. Those too ill to travel should also be able to order home kits - although numbers are limited. |
| On Sunday morning home kits were no longer available within 15 minutes of the site reopening at 08:00 BST. | On Sunday morning home kits were no longer available within 15 minutes of the site reopening at 08:00 BST. |
| Four hours after the website opened on Sunday, there were still slots available to visit a test site in England and Scotland. | Four hours after the website opened on Sunday, there were still slots available to visit a test site in England and Scotland. |
| Key workers in Wales and Northern Ireland cannot currently book tests online. Both nations appear as options on the government's online system but with a label saying no slots are available. | Key workers in Wales and Northern Ireland cannot currently book tests online. Both nations appear as options on the government's online system but with a label saying no slots are available. |
| On previous days, slots to attend test centres have been booked up within hours and the site has had to temporarily close because of high demand. | On previous days, slots to attend test centres have been booked up within hours and the site has had to temporarily close because of high demand. |
| The tests offered are swab tests that determine whether people currently have the virus - rather than whether they have had it in the past. | The tests offered are swab tests that determine whether people currently have the virus - rather than whether they have had it in the past. |
| One of those who sought one of the tests was Kevin Melia, who works as an NHS theatre support worker at Chester Hospital and has been self-isolating at home because he thinks he has Covid-19 symptoms. | |
| He suffers from asthma and has a low immune system after having his leg amputated last year, he told the BBC. | |
| Mr Melia, who lives in Liverpool, said he tried to book an appointment on Sunday, but was told the nearest centre was in Birmingham. | |
| "It's around 100 miles from where I live, this was at 8.30 this morning. I think this is just outrageous," he said. | |
| Meanwhile, the British Medical Association (BMA) has accused ministers of dragging their feet over calls for families of healthcare workers who lose their lives fighting coronavirus to be financially supported. | Meanwhile, the British Medical Association (BMA) has accused ministers of dragging their feet over calls for families of healthcare workers who lose their lives fighting coronavirus to be financially supported. |
| The doctors' trade union said it had written twice to the chancellor raising the issue, but had yet to receive a response. | The doctors' trade union said it had written twice to the chancellor raising the issue, but had yet to receive a response. |
| The government said it was currently considering the financial support for the families of those on the front line. | The government said it was currently considering the financial support for the families of those on the front line. |
| More than 100 healthcare workers have died with the virus so far, according to BBC analysis. | More than 100 healthcare workers have died with the virus so far, according to BBC analysis. |
| The BMA has also called for all key workers to be provided with face masks to combat the spread of the virus. | The BMA has also called for all key workers to be provided with face masks to combat the spread of the virus. |
| BMA chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul told the Daily Telegraph that giving masks to "transport workers, shopkeepers, carers or supermarket staff" would offer "a level of protection, however small". | BMA chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul told the Daily Telegraph that giving masks to "transport workers, shopkeepers, carers or supermarket staff" would offer "a level of protection, however small". |
| He added: "The government must pursue all avenues of reducing the spread of infection. This includes asking the public to wear face coverings to cover mouths and noses when people leave home for essential reasons." | He added: "The government must pursue all avenues of reducing the spread of infection. This includes asking the public to wear face coverings to cover mouths and noses when people leave home for essential reasons." |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| How have you been affected by coronavirus? Are you a key worker trying to get a test? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | How have you been affected by coronavirus? Are you a key worker trying to get a test? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or please use the form below: | Or please use the form below: |