As the Prime Minister announced on Friday, the Government is rolling out small-scale asymptomatic testing pilots using new testing technologies, which will begin this week, with repeat asymptomatic testing of certain groups to identify those most at risk of spreading the virus and break the chains of transmission. This pilot will see NHS staff in some of the worst hit parts of the country tested weekly as a minimum
Through these pilots, the Government hopes to be better able to protect those at high risk in the worst hit areas, as well as find more positive cases to reduce transmission. We hope to make these tests, which provide much quicker results and don’t require lab processing, available to local directors of public health to help control localised outbreaks, particularly in areas in the ‘Very High’ alert levels.
You can read more in the Prime Minister's statement made on 16th October here.
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