Areas in Tier 3 may not get community testing until ‘January and beyond’
Mass community testing may not be possible “all at once” for areas of England with the toughest coronavirus restrictions, the head of operations for the programme has admitted.
Testing
Asymptomatic Covid-19 tests to be carried out ‘much more routinely’ in new year
Pilot mass testing schemes in coronavirus hotspots across Scotland will inform plans to carry out asymptomatic checks “much more routinely” in the new year, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Students will struggle to ‘comply fully’ with self-isolation before Christmas
Students will struggle to “comply fully” with self-isolation rules if they test positive for Covid-19 before Christmas due to a lack of financial support from the Government, a union has warned.
New walkthrough Covid-19 testing centre to be installed in north-east town
A new walkthrough Covid-19 test centre will be installed in a Moray town.
Health experts fear rapid tests may distract from vaccine work
Ambitious rapid coronavirus testing plans for England threaten to become a distraction from other key goals such as the roll-out of a vaccine, prominent health officials have warned.
Covid-19: Aberdeen University sets out testing plans to get students home
Aberdeen University has set out its Covid-19 testing plans to ensure students can return home for Christmas.
Coronavirus testing expansion to include care homes, NHS staff and students
Coronavirus testing will be expanded to all frontline health and social care staff, care home visitors, hospital patients and students returning home over Christmas, Scotland’s Health Secretary has announced.
Jabs and swabs to help the UK return to normal
Vaccines and wider testing will mean less reliance on social restrictions as the UK returns to normal post-coronavirus, the Government said.
Isolation to be avoided with repeat testing of close contacts in new scheme
Close contacts of people who have tested positive for coronavirus will be offered repeated testing rather than being required to isolate under new plans.
Johnson to pledge major testing scheme for Tier 3 areas
Boris Johnson will pledge major testing programmes for all areas forced into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions after the end of England’s national lockdown.
Aberdeen universities work up plans for mass testing of students
Aberdeen’s two universities are finalising their plans for the mass testing of students planning to go home for Christmas.
Mass coronavirus testing of students in Scotland to begin on November 30
Mass testing of students planning to head home for Christmas will begin at the end of the month at some Scottish universities.
Lotus Engineering launches containerised battery testing facility
Lotus Engineering has introduced a pilot containerised battery testing facility to better understand energy storage solutions.
How can I visit my loved one in a care home during lockdown?
The Government is conducting a care home visiting pilot and hopes that testing for visitors will be in place for all care homes in England “by Christmas”.
Liverpool coronavirus mass-testing pilot finds 700 cases, epidemiologist says
A pilot of mass coronavirus testing in Liverpool has found 700 positive cases which would have not been detected otherwise, an epidemiologist has said.
New coronavirus testing labs will be ready this year, says Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted three new coronavirus testing laboratories will be ready by the end of the year.
Operation Moonshot could ‘fail miserably’ – experts
Plans to mass test the whole population for Covid-19 could “fail miserably”, an expert on screening has warned.
Liverpool coronavirus mass-testing pilot ‘going in right direction’
A pilot of mass coronavirus testing in Liverpool is “going in the right direction” but more people are being encouraged to take part, the Defence Secretary has said.
Coronavirus: New ‘megalab’ to open in Scotland next year
Two new "megalabs" are due to open early next year - more than doubling the UK's daily coronavirus testing capacity.
Willie Rennie: Government cannot repeat September student fiasco
Week after week for months, I implored the First Minister to introduce the mass testing of asymptomatic students to try to prevent outbreaks in university towns when students returned to study and, week after week, I was told it was being "considered".
What types of coronavirus tests are available?
As mass coronavirus testing continues across Liverpool, here the PA news agency looks at the various types of test available.
Coronavirus in universities: ‘Woeful’ lack of detail on Christmas Covid testing
All students returning home from university for Christmas will be offered a new "30-minute" test for coronavirus before travelling, but no plans have been confirmed for their New Year return.
Plans to introduce Covid tests for students before Christmas present ‘hurdles’
Plans to introduce mass testing for Covid-19 at universities ahead of Christmas present huge logistical challenges and risk leaving students “in limbo”, a union has warned.
Health Secretary confirms mass Covid testing for 67 local authorities in England
Mass coronavirus testing to help detect asymptomatic cases will be rolled out in 67 local authorities in England, the Health Secretary has confirmed.
Government making ‘very good progress’ on testing regime for travellers – Shapps
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has insisted the Government is making “very good progress” in developing a testing regime to reduce the 14-day quarantine period for international arrivals.
Mass coronavirus testing scheme getting under way in Liverpool
A pilot scheme of mass coronavirus testing in Liverpool is getting under way.
Covid: What light is there at the end of the tunnel?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” in tackling coronavirus.
Green light for routine testing of health staff – NHS chief
The head of the NHS in England has suggested that all patient-facing health service staff will soon be given routine Covid-19 tests.
Heathrow overtaken by Paris Charles de Gaulle as it loses £1.5bn
Heathrow has been overtaken by Paris Charles de Gaulle as Europe’s busiest airport, with the west London hub reporting rising losses.
Testing row: UK Government brands ‘testing capacity issue’ claim ‘categorically untrue’
A row is brewing between the UK and Scottish governments over claims a "testing capacity issue" had led to a delay in the processing of tests.