“There has been a huge amount of work to develop these new testing capabilities and I want to thank colleagues across NHS Test and Trace, Public Health England and the wider scientific community for ensuring that we are one of the first countries in the world who are able to deploy these new tests for the benefit of our public.”
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Greater Manchester to have rapid Covid-19 tests rolled out across the region
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Local authorities in Greater Manchester are set to receive 10,000 rapid Covid-19 tests.
The rapid-turnaround tests are currently being trialled in Liverpool, and will now be sent to public health directors in Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs.
The tests can provide results within an hour and do not need to be processed in a lab.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “Last week we rolled out mass testing in Liverpool using new, rapid technology so we can detect this virus quicker than ever before, even in people who don’t have symptoms.
“Mass testing is a vital tool to help us control this virus and get life more normal.
“I am delighted to say 10,000 of these tests will now be sent out by NHS Test and Trace to over 50 directors of public health as part of our asymptomatic testing strategy.
“I want to thank all directors of public health for their support and efforts over the past months to help us tackle this virus, bring it under control and get the country back to what we love doing.”
Health chiefs in Greater Manchester will decide who receives the tests based on groups of priority people.
Each local authority will receive an initial batch of 10,000 followed up by a weekly allocation of lateral flow antigen tests equivalent of 10% of the area’s population.
Parts of Lancashire, including Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, have also been chosen as part of the new scheme.
In Liverpool, 16 testing sites have been set up since Friday as well as a number of mobile units delivering home testing kits.
Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, Dido Harding said: “I am delighted that as part of our expansion of testing we are able to partner with local authorities to deliver these new rapid turnaround tests to our local communities.
“Building on national capacity of 500,000 tests a day, we are now moving to the next stage of testing tailored around the individual needs of local areas with control in the hands of local directors of public health.