Coronavirus: Who is currently being tested for Covid-19 and when will tests become available for everyone?
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, questions have continually been asked concerning how patients are being tested for the virus and when tests will be more widely distributed.
On 11 March, the NHS outlined plans for 10,000 coronavirus tests to be conducted every day. The prime minister later told the House of Commons that this number would be increased to 25,000, going on to state in a press conference that it could eventually rise to 250,000.
However, no date has yet been fixed as to when antigen and antibody tests — the former tests if a person has the virus while the latter should be able to determine if an individual has recovered from infection — may become available for mass distribution.
Who is currently being tested for Covid-19?
Coronavirus tests are currently being conducted on patients who have exhibited the main symptoms of the condition and have been hospitalised due to ill health.
The two predominant symptoms of the virus, the NHS states, is a high temperature and a new, continuous cough.
If a person is showing these symptoms, they are advised to contact the NHS’s online 111 service for further guidance.
If it is determined that they do not need to be admitted to hospital, then they will not be tested at home.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, some individuals have been able to have tests for the condition despite not needing hospitalisation.
1/29
A man walks down a deserted Camden High Street
Photos Angela Christofilou
2/29
Goodge Street Station is one of the many stations closed to help reduce the spread
Angela Christofilou
3/29
An empty street in the heart of Chinatown
Angela Christofilou
4/29
People in masks in Chinatown a day after the lockdown
Angela Christofilou
5/29
A near-empty Piccadilly Circus during the first week of lockdown
Angela Christofilou
6/29
Sonja, my neighbour, who I photographed while taking a short walk. It was nice to briefly chat even from a distance
Angela Christofilou
7/29
A couple sit on the empty steps of the statue Eros in Piccadilly Circus
Angela Christofilou
8/29
Making sure I stay two-meters apart – D’Arblay Street, Soho
Angela Christofilou
9/29
A mannequin behind a shop window. UK stores have closed until further notice
Angela Christofilou
10/29
A notice displayed on a shop window in Camden
Angela Christofilou
11/29
As part of the lockdown, all non-essential shops have been ordered to close.Image from Camden High Street
Angela Christofilou
12/29
A skateboarder wearing a mask utilises his exercise allowance in the Camden area
Angela Christofilou
13/29
Communities have been coming together in a time of need
Angela Christofilou
14/29
A woman stands alone in a deserted Oxford Street. Up until a few weeks ago, on average, half a million people visited the street per day
Angela Christofilou
15/29
A couple walk hand in hand down a street in Soho, a day before the stricter lockdown was announced
Angela Christofilou
16/29
During the first week of March, shoppers focused on stockpiling necessities ahead of a countrywide lockdown
Angela Christofilou
17/29
Many supermarkers are operating a queuing system to make sure only a limited amount of customers are allowed in at anyone time
Angela Christofilou
18/29
‘Stay Safe’ – Curzon cinemas are temporarily closed under the new measures
Angela Christofilou
19/29
Pubs, restaurants and bars were ordered to shut as part of the lockdown
Angela Christofilou
20/29 Camden High Street
There are fears that coronavirus could lead to permanent closure of struggling shops
Angela Christofilou
21/29
Camden Town is eerily silent on a normal working day
Angela Christofilou
22/29
Shops and supermarkets ran out of hand sanitisers in the first week of the lockdown. As we approach the end of the second week most shops now have started to stock up
Angela Christofilou
23/29
Empty streets around Soho
Angela Christofilou
24/29
A noticeboard on Camden High Street urges the public to stay at home
Angela Christofilou
25/29
Camden High Street, one of London’s busiest tourist streets turns quiet
Angela Christofilou
26/29
Thriller Live confirmed its West End run ended in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak
Angela Christofilou
27/29
Empty and eerie Soho streets after stricter rules on social distancing announced
Angela Christofilou
28/29
A woman pauses for a cigarette on Hanway Street, behind Tottenham Court Road
Angela Christofilou
29/29
A man steps outside onto Hanway Street, that sits behind what is usually a bustling retail hub
Angela Christofilou
1/29
A man walks down a deserted Camden High Street
Photos Angela Christofilou
2/29
Goodge Street Station is one of the many stations closed to help reduce the spread
Angela Christofilou
3/29
An empty street in the heart of Chinatown
Angela Christofilou
4/29
People in masks in Chinatown a day after the lockdown
Angela Christofilou
5/29
A near-empty Piccadilly Circus during the first week of lockdown
Angela Christofilou
6/29
Sonja, my neighbour, who I photographed while taking a short walk. It was nice to briefly chat even from a distance
Angela Christofilou
7/29
A couple sit on the empty steps of the statue Eros in Piccadilly Circus
Angela Christofilou
8/29
Making sure I stay two-meters apart – D’Arblay Street, Soho
Angela Christofilou
9/29
A mannequin behind a shop window. UK stores have closed until further notice
Angela Christofilou
10/29
A notice displayed on a shop window in Camden
Angela Christofilou
11/29
As part of the lockdown, all non-essential shops have been ordered to close.Image from Camden High Street
Angela Christofilou
12/29
A skateboarder wearing a mask utilises his exercise allowance in the Camden area
Angela Christofilou
13/29
Communities have been coming together in a time of need
Angela Christofilou
14/29
A woman stands alone in a deserted Oxford Street. Up until a few weeks ago, on average, half a million people visited the street per day
Angela Christofilou
15/29
A couple walk hand in hand down a street in Soho, a day before the stricter lockdown was announced
Angela Christofilou
16/29
During the first week of March, shoppers focused on stockpiling necessities ahead of a countrywide lockdown
Angela Christofilou
17/29
Many supermarkers are operating a queuing system to make sure only a limited amount of customers are allowed in at anyone time
Angela Christofilou
18/29
‘Stay Safe’ – Curzon cinemas are temporarily closed under the new measures
Angela Christofilou
19/29
Pubs, restaurants and bars were ordered to shut as part of the lockdown
Angela Christofilou
20/29 Camden High Street
There are fears that coronavirus could lead to permanent closure of struggling shops
Angela Christofilou
21/29
Camden Town is eerily silent on a normal working day
Angela Christofilou
22/29
Shops and supermarkets ran out of hand sanitisers in the first week of the lockdown. As we approach the end of the second week most shops now have started to stock up
Angela Christofilou
23/29
Empty streets around Soho
Angela Christofilou
24/29
A noticeboard on Camden High Street urges the public to stay at home
Angela Christofilou
25/29
Camden High Street, one of London’s busiest tourist streets turns quiet
Angela Christofilou
26/29
Thriller Live confirmed its West End run ended in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak
Angela Christofilou
27/29
Empty and eerie Soho streets after stricter rules on social distancing announced
Angela Christofilou
28/29
A woman pauses for a cigarette on Hanway Street, behind Tottenham Court Road
Angela Christofilou
29/29
A man steps outside onto Hanway Street, that sits behind what is usually a bustling retail hub
Angela Christofilou
Luther star Idris Elba, who has asthma, underwent a test for Covid-19 after discovering he had been in contact with someone who tested positive for the condition. As the actor had been due to work on a busy film set, he had a test as a safeguarding measure so as to ensure he wouldn’t put anyone on production at risk.
The Prince of Wales also tested positive for the coronavirus after displaying mild symptoms, while the Duchess of Cornwall tested negative. A spokesperson for Clarence House said the test was carried out by NHS staff in Aberdeenshire “where they met the criteria required for testing”.
Prince Charles has since recovered from the virus and he and Camilla have both come out of self-isolation.
On 27 March, it was announced that frontline NHS staff would be tested for Covid-19. The government had previously been criticised for not rolling out tests for healthcare workers, as it meant they did not know if they were putting patients’ health at risk.
“It is urgently important that we are able to test frontline staff who are off sick or otherwise isolating,” said Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS.
However, last week it was reported that only 2,000 NHS frontline staff forced to stay home due to the virus had been tested to see if they could return to work, a fraction of the 125,000 workers believed to be self-isolating.
Over the past couple of months, several drive-through testing centres have been set up. One, set up in Wolverhampton, allowed individuals to be tested in a car park if it was deemed necessary by the NHS 111 service. Meanwhile, a Chessington theme park was turned into a testing centre for NHS workers.
When will testing become available to all?
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, recently told the Press Association that maximum testing capacity in the UK is currently “very constrained”, only being able to deliver approximately 13,000 tests a day.
Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, stated on 26 March that plans were in place for “a million tests that people can do themselves”, adding that it is essential that antibody tests are accurate before being distributed to the public.
“We expect that to come within a couple of weeks but I wouldn’t want to over promise on that, and I think the chief medical officer has been absolutely clear on it being right before it is put out,” Professor Doyle said.
On the government’s website, it states that it is “urgently analysing the reliability of home testing kits that do not need labs”.
During a recent press briefing, health secretary Matt Hancock said the UK is trying to develop a “huge diagnostic industry” in order to scale up testing.
“Unlike some countries, we didn’t go into this crisis with a huge diagnostics industry. We have the best scientific labs in the world, but we did not have the scale,” Mr Hancock said on Thursday 2 April.
“My German counterpart, for instance, could call upon 100 test labs, ready and waiting when the crisis struck, thanks in large part to Roche, one of the biggest diagnostics companies in the world. We have had to build from a lower base.”
While deputising for Boris Johnson at the daily press conference on Tuesday 7 April while the prime minister receives hospital treatment for Covid-19, foreign secretary Dominic Raab insisted that the government is still on track to deliver 100,000 tests a day in the coming weeks.
However, the distribution of antibody tests remains more uncertain. On Friday 3 April, Mr Hancock stated that the British government had not yet found an antibody test that is “good enough to use”.