100,000 to Get Home COVID-19 Testing Kits in Bold New Government Move
The government has launched a major home testing programme to track coronavirus infections across England. Starting soon, 100,000 people will be sent self-testing kits to find out if they currently have COVID-19.
Tracking the Virus Like Never Before
Led by top experts from Imperial College London and the NHS Imperial College Healthcare Trust, with support from Ipsos MORI, this project aims to paint a clearer picture of how many people are currently infected or have already had the virus.
Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “Understanding more about the current spread of coronavirus and the prevalence of antibodies is a vital part of our ongoing response to this pandemic.”
He added, “This ambitious new testing programme will help us track the rate of infection now and find antibody tests that are easy and accurate to use. This info is key to managing the virus and developing new treatments.”
How the Testing Will Work
- First, 100,000 randomly chosen people across 315 local authorities will provide nose and throat swabs to detect active infection.
- Next, various antibody tests will be trialled for home use, starting with NHS volunteers who have had COVID-19 to check test accuracy.
- Then, 300 public volunteers will self-administer tests involving a finger prick blood sample to see if they understand and can handle the process.
- If proven reliable, up to 10,000 more people will use the self-tests, focusing on usability rather than measuring exact antibody levels.
- Finally, around 5,000 key workers will participate in both self-tests and professional tests to compare results and verify accuracy.
If all goes well, 100,000 people could receive antibody self-tests later this year, helping reveal how many have developed immunity.
Experts Speak Out on the Groundbreaking Project
Professor Lord Darzi, Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation Director: “Short of a vaccine, testing is the only way out of lockdown. The testing scene is a wild west right now – no rules, no standards, and patchy reliability. This programme aims to fix that with a reliable testing system the government can trust.”
Professor Paul Elliott, Programme Director, stressed: “Community testing is vital to fighting COVID-19. This work will build the scientific evidence we urgently need to understand how widespread the virus is.”
Professor Tim Orchard of Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust said: “We’re proud to be involved. Community testing could ease pressure on health services and save valuable resources.”
Public Health Professor Helen Ward added: “We’re working directly with volunteers to make these home tests as simple and clear as possible. The public has already shown tremendous support.”
With this bold initiative, England is set to take a giant leap forward in battling coronavirus by bringing testing straight to people’s doorsteps.
