Coronavirus testing is a key part of the Government’s Covid response. Liverpool was the first England city to have regular coronavirus testing for all residents, whether they had symptoms or not. The scheme in Liverpool as part of a pilot scheme. Express.co.uk explains if you can get a coronavirus test without symptoms and who exactly is eligible for tests in these cases.
Can you get a coronavirus test without symptoms?
Free NHS tests are only available for those if the following applies:
You have a high temperature
You have a new, continuous cough
You have lost your sense of smell or taste or it’s changed
You have been asked to by a local council
You are taking part in a government pilot project.
READ MORE: Coronavirus update: Glasgow mass testing to begin
The Health Secretary, speaking ahead of the last day of the national lockdown in England, said the central challenge of the pandemic is keeping the R number below one when around one in three people with the virus have no symptoms at all.
He announced the rollout of the Government’s new university student testing programme and community testing expansion.
Mr Hancock said: “We won’t just test people with symptoms.”
He added testing people who can “break the chain of transmission and stop other people catching Covid”.
The Health Secretary said: “The light of dawn is on the horizon, it’s the moment to stand firm until the morning so we can look back and see clearly that everything we gave and everything we did, it was not for nothing but so we could save lives and build back better for everyone.”
Who is eligible to get a Covid test without symptoms?
Currently, most people can only get a test if they have symptoms.
But from December 2, mass testing will be rolled out in tier 3 areas meaning 23.3 million people could have access to testing without exhibiting symptoms.
Tier 3 areas from December 2 will include:
East Midlands
Derby and Derbyshire
Leicester and Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
North East
North East Combined Authority: County Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland
North of Tyne Combined Authority: Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland
Tees Valley Combined Authority: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees
North West
Blackburn with Darwen
Blackpool
Greater Manchester
Lancashire
South East
Kent and Medway
Slough (remainder of Berkshire is tier 2: High alert)
South West
Bristol
North Somerset
South Gloucestershire
West Midlands
Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton
READ MORE: Liverpool mayor grilled over ‘pointless’ mass coronavirus testing plan
Many universities are also offering mass testing ahead of the Christmas break.
Students will be asked to take two tests, three days apart.
If they test negative, they are able to leave university in the “travel window” which begins on December 3.
Testing is voluntary and is not available at all universities.
England’s Universities Minister Michelle Donelan has urged students “to take the tests on offer”.
In Wales, student testing is expected to enable students to travel from December 9, but there have been concerns about not all pupils having access to a test.
In Scotland, testing will begin next Monday, with officials urging students to leave for home after a second negative test.
In Northern Ireland, students are urged to get a test, but now all universities in the nation are planning to offer testing.
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