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The government has published a list of essential workers in
England who will be able to book a free
Coronavirus test online from Friday.
On Thursday, health secretary Matt Hancock said workers in essential roles showing symptoms of the virus would be able to book a Covid-19 test on the gov.uk website as part of the government’s strategy to get “Britain back on her feet”.
People who live with essential workers will also be use the service.
Under the government’s current social distancing rules, anyone with coronavirus symptoms must remain at home for a week.
Meanwhile, anyone living with a symptomatic person must quarantine at home for a fortnight, unless they develop symptoms themselves.
It is hoped the new scheme will allow essential workers who test negative – or whose symptomatic family members test negative – for the virus to be able to return to work immediately. How will the new system work? After inputting their details into the new portal, essential workers and their families will get a text or email on the same day inviting them to book a test at a drive-through testing site, or will receive a home-testing kit.
Test results from the drive-through sites will be sent out by text within 48 hours, the Department of Health said, and within 72 hours of collection of the home delivery tests.
The aim is that most people should not have to drive for more than 45 minutes to get to a regional testing site.
On Thursday, the government also launched a scheme to allow employers of essential workers to refer them for a coronavirus test. Which essential workers will be able to use the service?Each country in the
UK defines ‘essential workers’ slightly differently. The list of workers eligible for the new testing system published by the department of health on Thursday applies to England.
The list includes: All NHS and social care staff
This includes: doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteerssupport and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sectorthose working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines, and medical and personal protective equipmentEssential public services staff
This includes: prisons, probation, courts and tribunals staff, judiciaryreligious staffcharities and workers delivering critical frontline servicesthose responsible for the management of the deceasedjournalists and broadcasters covering coronavirus or providing public service broadcasting Public safety and national security staff
This includes: police and support staffMinistry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of critical defence and national security outputs and critical to the response to the coronavirus pandemic)fire and rescue service employees (including support staff),National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security,
prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseasTransport workers
This includes: those who keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the coronavirus responsethose working on transport systems through which supply chains passEducation and childcare workers
This includes: support and teaching staffsocial workersspecialist education professionalsCritical personnel in the production and distribution of food, drink and essential goods
This includes: those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and deliverythose critical to the provision of other essential goods, such as medical supply chain and distribution workers, including veterinary medicineworkers critical to the continuity of essential movement of goodsUtilities, communication and financial services staff
This includes: staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)the
Oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage)information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the coronavirus responseessential staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 essential services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectorsOther workers included on the list: public and environmental health staff, including in government agencies and arm’s length bodiesfrontline local authority staff, including those working with vulnerable children and adults, with victims of domestic abuse, and with the homeless and rough sleepersRelated... Essential Workers Can Book Free Coronavirus Test Online From Tomorrow Almost Half Of Europe's Coronavirus Deaths Are In Care Homes, Says WHO Official Eight Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today