Government to carry out antibody tests on health staff

THE Government has bought 10 million tests that will allow people to learn whether they have had coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.

Health and care workers, residents and patients will be first in line for testing. The antibody tests reveal who has been infected in the past, even if they are now recovered. Mr Hancock also revealed that around one in 20 people outside London have had the Covid-19 coronavirus so far, based on the results of tests already carried out. In London, around 17%, one in six, have had the virus. Healthcare companies Roche and Abbott are providing the antibody tests.

Mr Hancock said: “I can announce today that we have signed contracts to supply, in the coming months, over 10 million tests from Roche and Abbott.

“From next week, we’ll begin rolling these out in a phased way. first to health and care staff, patients and residents.”

Mr Hancock also said the UK was trialling a new test that could reveal within 20 minutes whether a person has coronavirus.

Shortly before the press conference, Downing Street announced a U-turn over the NHS surcharge, a fee many migrants who do not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK have to pay.

Labour leader Keir Starmer had previously called for NHS and care workers to be removed from the surcharge. The Department of Health said 36,042 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Wednesday, up by 338 from 35,704 the day before.

In the 24-hour period up to 9am on Thursday, 128,340 tests were carried out, with 67,681 people tested and 2,615 positive results.