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| Coronavirus: Millions more to be eligible for testing | Coronavirus: Millions more to be eligible for testing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Millions more people are to be eligible for coronavirus tests, according to government announcements on Tuesday. | Millions more people are to be eligible for coronavirus tests, according to government announcements on Tuesday. |
| In England, all care home residents and staff will be able to access tests from Wednesday, regardless of whether they have symptoms. | In England, all care home residents and staff will be able to access tests from Wednesday, regardless of whether they have symptoms. |
| People over 65 and those who must leave home to work, as well as those they live with, will be able to get tested if they have symptoms of Covid-19. | People over 65 and those who must leave home to work, as well as those they live with, will be able to get tested if they have symptoms of Covid-19. |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to follow suit. | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to follow suit. |
| It comes after figures revealed a third of all coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are now happening in care homes. | It comes after figures revealed a third of all coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are now happening in care homes. |
| Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "From construction workers to emergency plumbers, from research scientists to those in manufacturing, the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe." | Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "From construction workers to emergency plumbers, from research scientists to those in manufacturing, the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe." |
| Anyone eligible can book a test on the government's test-booking website. | |
| Last week, it closed temporarily following "exceptional demand" when key workers were first able to register. | |
| Mr Hancock also announced that a small number of hospitals in England will begin testing all patients for coronavirus, regardless of if they are showing symptoms, as part of a pilot. | |
| The government has pledged to carry out 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, but the latest figures showed just over 43,000 tests took place across the UK on Monday - less than half its goal. | The government has pledged to carry out 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, but the latest figures showed just over 43,000 tests took place across the UK on Monday - less than half its goal. |
| The health secretary said daily testing capacity had increased to 73,400 and insisted the UK was "on track" to hit 100,000 tests a day by Thursday. | |
| 'Massive expansion in testing' | 'Massive expansion in testing' |
| This represents a massive expansion of who is eligible for testing - and means we are now one step away from allowing everyone to access a test if they have symptoms. | This represents a massive expansion of who is eligible for testing - and means we are now one step away from allowing everyone to access a test if they have symptoms. |
| That will be crucial when lockdown restrictions are eased as part of the "test, track and trace" strategy to keep coronavirus at bay. | That will be crucial when lockdown restrictions are eased as part of the "test, track and trace" strategy to keep coronavirus at bay. |
| It is being made possible by the roll-out of home-testing kits and mobile units staffed by the armed forces. | |
| The problems experienced getting more people tested have - to some extent - been because the network of drive-through testing centres have not always been in convenient locations. | The problems experienced getting more people tested have - to some extent - been because the network of drive-through testing centres have not always been in convenient locations. |
| There is plenty of lab capacity to process the tests now the three mega labs are up-and-running in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Cheshire. | There is plenty of lab capacity to process the tests now the three mega labs are up-and-running in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Cheshire. |
| The expansion has also allowed the government to do something that could prove crucial in tackling the epidemic in care homes - the testing of residents and staff without symptoms. | The expansion has also allowed the government to do something that could prove crucial in tackling the epidemic in care homes - the testing of residents and staff without symptoms. |
| A big concern is that the virus has been able to get a foothold in care homes via people transmitting it before they develop symptoms or if they are asymptomatic. | A big concern is that the virus has been able to get a foothold in care homes via people transmitting it before they develop symptoms or if they are asymptomatic. |
| But promising something is one thing - delivering it is another. | But promising something is one thing - delivering it is another. |
| While the capacity looks like it will be there to test 100,000 a day by the end of the month, the numbers actually getting tested are currently less than half that. | While the capacity looks like it will be there to test 100,000 a day by the end of the month, the numbers actually getting tested are currently less than half that. |
| Meanwhile, in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said all patients over 70 who are admitted to hospital for any reason will now be tested for Covid-19. | Meanwhile, in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said all patients over 70 who are admitted to hospital for any reason will now be tested for Covid-19. |
| In Northern Ireland, testing has begun in some GP practices and will also be expanded in hospitals and care homes. Wales has adopted a needs-based approach to testing for NHS and "critical" non-NHS workers. | In Northern Ireland, testing has begun in some GP practices and will also be expanded in hospitals and care homes. Wales has adopted a needs-based approach to testing for NHS and "critical" non-NHS workers. |
| Office for National Statistics data showed there were 2,000 coronavirus care home deaths in England and Wales in the week ending 17 April, double the previous week. | Office for National Statistics data showed there were 2,000 coronavirus care home deaths in England and Wales in the week ending 17 April, double the previous week. |
| It brings the total number of deaths in care homes linked to the virus since the start of the pandemic to 3,096. | It brings the total number of deaths in care homes linked to the virus since the start of the pandemic to 3,096. |
| Coronavirus deaths in hospitals across the UK, have reached 21,678 - a rise of 586 from Monday. | Coronavirus deaths in hospitals across the UK, have reached 21,678 - a rise of 586 from Monday. |
| The health secretary said from Wednesday the government will publish daily figures on deaths in care homes and the community. | The health secretary said from Wednesday the government will publish daily figures on deaths in care homes and the community. |
| He said the change aimed to "bring as much transparency as possible" to the figures and "add to our understanding of how this virus is spreading day by day". | He said the change aimed to "bring as much transparency as possible" to the figures and "add to our understanding of how this virus is spreading day by day". |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |