Rationing plans for coronavirus tests in England will prioritise NHS patients, staff, care homes and key workers – especially teachers – as the government grapples with a surge in demand.
Whitehall sources said the tiered system for booking tests would follow a similar pattern to testing at the beginning of the pandemic, with NHS patients with respiratory conditions at the top of the list and healthcare staff and those who work in education also prioritised.
A new strategy is due to be published next week, detailing efforts for more laboratory capacity and faster testing results, and the prioritisation list for testing should be published within days.
A Whitehall source said No 10 had made it clear that keeping schools open should be a priority. “The PM has been pretty clear on that – they will be on the list,” the source said. Officials said the strategy would follow “the same pattern” rolled out earlier in the year, when more testing capacity became available, with…
— to www.theguardian.com
