The Government has announced that it is rolling out testing of asymptomatic residents and staff in care homes in England and patients and staff in the NHS.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaking at this afternoon’s press conference also said that with testing capacity now at 73,000, he was also making testing available to all over-65s and their households, if they have symptoms.
All key workers who have to leave their home to go to work and their households, if they have symptoms will also be eligible for testing.
From tomorrow, the government will publish daily figures for the number of coronavirus deaths in care homes and in the community.
21,678 people have now died in hospital with coronavirus, an increase of 586 since yesterday.
The Government has carried out 700,387 tests, including 43,453 yesterday he also announced.
Later answering questions from journalists which centred on the care home issue, he said that care homes were the absolute number one priority
