Coronavirus is an infectious disease that has been confirmed in almost 18 million people across the world. Ahead of the winter, the government has confirmed that millions of new coronavirus tests will be made available to the UK public.
The UK lockdown is slowly being eased, as shoppers are now allowed to explore the high-street in England, provided they remain socially-distanced.
You can also visit someone else’s garden, as long as there aren’t more than six people in the garden at once.
But the government has still advised the public to remain indoors as much as possible, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.
Two new types of rapid coronavirus tests will be made available to the public ahead of the winter, the government has announced.
There are fears that this winter will see a spike in coronavirus cases, as more people huddle indoors to escape the cold temperatures.
As a result, two new coronavirus tests will be available, and they both take just 90 minutes to reveal a result.
A DNA ‘Nudgebox’ machine will be used in NHS hospitals, whereas the LamPORE swab and saliva tests will be used in pop-up laboratories across the country.
LamPORE tests will be made available from next week, while DNA tests are currently used in eight London hospitals.
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Both types of test will be able to test for coronavirus, and other winter-related illnesses.
They don’t require a trained health professional to operate them, so they can be launched in non-clinical settings.
As it stands, only people with coronavirus symptoms are eligible for a test.
More details on pop-up locations will be released later in the year, with millions more tests to be rolled out.
“We’re using the most innovative technologies available to tackle coronavirus,” said Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
“Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will provide on the spot results in under 90 minutes, helping us to break chains of transmission quickly.
“The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19 will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others.
“I am hugely grateful for the excellent work done by DnaNudge and Oxford Nanopore to push forward these life-saving innovations in coronavirus testing.”
Common coronavirus symptoms include a high fever, a new cough, and a loss of smell or taste.
If you have any of these signs, you can apply for a coronavirus test on the government website.
The test may be sent to your home address, or you could travel to a drive-thru test site.
The results of the test should be available within 24 hours.
If you develop coronavirus symptoms, or if you test positive for COVID-19, you should self-isolate for at least 10 days.
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