Millions of Covid-19 tests able to detect the virus within 90 minutes will be rolled out to hospitals, care homes and laboratories to boost capacity in the coming months, health secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday (Aug 3).
They will comprise 5.8 million tests using DNA and 450,000 swab tests. Neither will need to be administered by a health professional, said Hancock.
“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,” he said.
The 450,000 LamPore tests will be rolled out acrosss labs and care homes in England from next week.
Millions more of these will become available later in the year alongside a new DNA test to be rolled out arcoss the UK from September.
Eight London hospitals are already using the machines which analyse DNA in nose swabs to detect the virus.
Separately, the NHS said it would be offering “Covid-friendly” treatments to cancer patients, including drugs that do not have a big impact on the immune system.
The UK’s healthcare system has come under severe strain during peaks in the country’s Covid-19 outbreak, which has killed more than 46,000 people, the fourth highest toll in the world, according to a Reuters tally collated on Sunday.
