Essential workers can now request their own coronavirus testing kits online, announces Health Secretary

23 April 2020, 17:23 | Updated: 23 April 2020, 17:33

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the great news during today's Downing Street briefing.

The government has announced that as of tomorrow, testing of essential workers will be ramped up significantly, as the ability to test will be given directly to them.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that from tomorrow onwards, employers of essential workers and their families will be able to go on the government's website to get a coronavirus test.

He said: "From tomorrow, any essential workers who need a test will be able to book an appointment on gov.uk themselves directly".

READ MORE: Government reveal full list of key workers who are eligible for coronavirus testing

He said: "From tomorrow, employers of essential workers will able to go on gov.uk to get their employees tested.

"Essential workers can also do it as well as those who live in essential worker homes."

Mr Hancock added: "it'll be simple, online, and they will receive results via text, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to get tests themselves."

After announcing the amazing news, which will hopefully have a huge effect on detecting unsymptomatic coronavirus, he added: "I want to take this moment to applaud the other private teams who are helping us."

As well as this, he announced that a new feature for reporting symptoms will be available through and NHS app, which will help let those who have been in contact with a person displaying symptoms be aware.

The government will also be hiring an additional 18,000 people including clinicians and specialists to aid with battling the coronavirus.