By Ben Kerrigan-
All care home residents and staff in England will be eligible for coronavirus testing, regardless of whether they have symptoms, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at .today’s press briefing
Mr. Hancock confirmed that as from Wednesday, all NHS staff, hospital patients, care home workers and their elderly residents would be able to book tests even if they did not have symptoms. He added that all those over 65 and people who must leave home for work will also be able to get a test if they are displaying symptoms.Daily testing capacity is now up to 73,400.
Mr Hancock said. He said the government was “on track” for 100,000 tests a day by May.he offer of tests for symptomatic over-65s and to workers who have to leave the house to do their job will also apply to people living in those households. Speaking at the government’s daily news conference, Mr Hancock said: “Building on successful pilots, we will be rolling out testing of asymptomatic residents and staff in care homes in England, and to patients and staff in the NHS.
“This will mean that anyone who is working or living in a care home will be able to get access to a test whether they have symptoms or not.”
“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”, he said. The health secretary’s announcement comes as figures show a third of all coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are now happening in care homes.