All essential workers and their families will be allowed to be tested for coronavirus, the government has announced. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the latest move during the goverment's daily press conference on the outbreak.
He said it comes as the testing capacity is 'ahead' of its plans as it attempt to reach the goal it set of 100,000 a day, with the current ability to carry out more than 50,000 tests a day.
Mr Hancock said: "We set the goal of 100,000 tests per day. Capacity is now ahead of our plans, overnight has increased from 40,000 to 51,000. "We have now expanded who can get tested.
We had to start by prioritising patients, then those in the NHS, social care. "We can make it easier, simpler and faster for ANY ESSENTIAL