Everyone over 5 with symptoms to get test
CORONAVIRUS tests will be offered to nearly all Britons with symptoms after a major expansion of capacity.
Matt Hancock announced yesterday that everyone except the under-fives would be eligible – as the youngest children are too small for the swabs.
But the Health Secretary has been forced to delay the national rolling out of a smartphone contact-tracing app which was meant to be ready by the middle of this month.
The app, which is being piloted on the Isle of Wight, alerts anyone who has been in close contact with an individual who develops coronavirus symptoms and tells them to self-isolate for 14 days.
But Mr Hancock said he had recruited more than 21,000 ‘contact tracers’ including call centre handlers to work alongside the app, tracking the spread of the virus.
They will get in touch with anyone who has been in close contact with a patient who tests positive and advise them to stay at home. Mr Hancock told the Commons: ‘Today, I can announce to the House that everyone aged five and over with symptoms is now eligible for a test. That applies right across the UK in all four nations from now.
‘Anyone with a new continuous cough, a high temperature or the loss or change of sense of taste or smell can book a test by visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus.’
Department of Health officials are now hoping to extend the use of smaller devices for younger children so that they can also be offered tests by the time nursery schools reopen within the next few weeks.
Referring to contact-tracing, Mr Hancock said: ‘I can confirm that we have recruited more than 21,000 contact tracers in England.
‘This includes 7,500 health care professionals who will provide our call handlers with expert clinical advice.
‘They will help manually trace the contacts of anyone who’s had a positive test and advise them on whether they need to isolate. They have rigorous training.’
But last night Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab could only say the app would be ready ‘in the coming weeks’ and not necessarily before children are due to start going back to school on June 1.
He told the Downing Street press conference: ‘In terms of the app, it’s still our intention to roll it out across the country for everyone to use in the weeks ahead. I can’t be any more precise at this stage.’