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Next version
Version 75 | Version 76 |
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Coronavirus: Am I eligible for a test? | Coronavirus: Am I eligible for a test? |
(21 days later) | |
Anyone who has symptoms, or lives in an area where there is a current outbreak, can apply for a test to see if they have coronavirus. | |
Getting tested - and then tracing people's contacts - is considered vital to enable health experts to contain a local outbreak and stopping them from spreading nationally. | |
Can I get tested? | Can I get tested? |
Tests are now available to all adults and most children in the UK with a fever, a new continuous cough or a loss of smell or taste. | Tests are now available to all adults and most children in the UK with a fever, a new continuous cough or a loss of smell or taste. |
In England and Wales you can apply for a swab test for yourself, or for anyone in your household, if you or they have symptoms | In England and Wales you can apply for a swab test for yourself, or for anyone in your household, if you or they have symptoms |
In Northern Ireland and Scotland anyone over the age of five with symptoms can get tested. | In Northern Ireland and Scotland anyone over the age of five with symptoms can get tested. |
The tests are generally the same for children and adults. | The tests are generally the same for children and adults. |
How does the test work? | How does the test work? |
This test to see if you currently have the virus involves taking a swab up the nose and the back of the throat. | This test to see if you currently have the virus involves taking a swab up the nose and the back of the throat. |
This can be done by the person themselves or someone else. | This can be done by the person themselves or someone else. |
But these tests won't show if you have had Covid-19 in the past. | But these tests won't show if you have had Covid-19 in the past. |
Antibody tests - which do look for evidence of past exposure - use blood samples. | Antibody tests - which do look for evidence of past exposure - use blood samples. |
The UK now has capacity for about 80,000 antibody tests a day, but these are only offered to health and care staff and should only be carried out by a healthcare professional. | The UK now has capacity for about 80,000 antibody tests a day, but these are only offered to health and care staff and should only be carried out by a healthcare professional. |
They are also used to test random samples of people to estimate the level of exposure across the country. | They are also used to test random samples of people to estimate the level of exposure across the country. |
Why is testing important? | Why is testing important? |
Testing is essential if contact-tracing systems now in place across the UK are to work effectively, help stop the spread of the virus and avoid the need for UK-wide lockdowns. | Testing is essential if contact-tracing systems now in place across the UK are to work effectively, help stop the spread of the virus and avoid the need for UK-wide lockdowns. |
And in theory it can help people, including NHS workers, know whether they are safe to go to work. | And in theory it can help people, including NHS workers, know whether they are safe to go to work. |
It's also useful to monitor how much infection there is in the country, which can inform NHS and government decisions. | |
Is testing different for those in care homes? | Is testing different for those in care homes? |
Staff and residents in care homes should now be receiving regular coronavirus tests. | |
People working or living in care homes have been able to be tested even if they don't have symptoms as a one-off since the end of April - but not routinely. | |
There have been calls for hospital staff to also be routinely tested regularly, but a letter sent to hospital bosses indicated this is not the current plan for NHS staff. | There have been calls for hospital staff to also be routinely tested regularly, but a letter sent to hospital bosses indicated this is not the current plan for NHS staff. |
How reliable are the tests? | How reliable are the tests? |
Scientists at the University of Bristol believe 20% of positive cases could falsely appear as negative, wrongly telling someone they are not infected. | Scientists at the University of Bristol believe 20% of positive cases could falsely appear as negative, wrongly telling someone they are not infected. |
This can be because the swab sample wasn't good enough, the stage of infection someone's at when tested, or problems in the lab. | This can be because the swab sample wasn't good enough, the stage of infection someone's at when tested, or problems in the lab. |
The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA), which represents hospital doctors, says NHS staff with symptoms who receive a negative result should be tested for a second time as confirmation, because of the possibility of false negatives. | |
How long does it take to get a result? | How long does it take to get a result? |
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged tests would be processed within 24 hours by the end of June, except where there were difficulties with the post. | |
Data up to 8 July showed that 51% of all tests were turned around in 24 hours, but this rose to 88% for in-person tests carried out by mobile units and regional sites. | |
Speed is important because delays in diagnosing people and tracing their contacts gives the virus more time to spread. | |
How many tests are being carried out? | How many tests are being carried out? |
As of 28 July, 215,000 daily tests were provided and 100,000 were processed. | |
But this includes kits posted out to homes - some of which may never be returned - as well as those carried out at drive-thru centres. | |
The total also counts antibody tests and those carried out as part of a surveillance study by the Office for National Statistics, designed to give an idea of how many people have Covid-19, with and without symptoms, in the community. | The total also counts antibody tests and those carried out as part of a surveillance study by the Office for National Statistics, designed to give an idea of how many people have Covid-19, with and without symptoms, in the community. |
During the coronavirus epidemic, the government has been challenged over its testing capacity and the data it has presented. | During the coronavirus epidemic, the government has been challenged over its testing capacity and the data it has presented. |
The government has now changed the way it sets out testing data. | The government has now changed the way it sets out testing data. |
Where do I get tested? | Where do I get tested? |
There are several options. | There are several options. |
You can travel to a drive-through testing site, visit a mobile testing unit or get a home testing kit delivered. | You can travel to a drive-through testing site, visit a mobile testing unit or get a home testing kit delivered. |
Testing at an NHS facility, such as a hospital, is available for patients and some NHS workers. | Testing at an NHS facility, such as a hospital, is available for patients and some NHS workers. |
What is contact tracing? | What is contact tracing? |
Once someone tests positive for Covid-19, they will be told to self-isolate for 10 days - and their recent close contacts will be traced and told to isolate for 14 days by their nation's test and trace service, even if they don't have symptoms. | |
Close contacts include household members and anyone who has been within 2m (6ft) of the positive person for more than 15 minutes. | Close contacts include household members and anyone who has been within 2m (6ft) of the positive person for more than 15 minutes. |
Read more about contact tracing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | Read more about contact tracing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
Follow Rachel on Twitter | Follow Rachel on Twitter |
What do I need to know about the coronavirus? | What do I need to know about the coronavirus? |
Have you been tested? Or are you waiting for a test? | Have you been tested? Or are you waiting for a test? |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist about your experience. | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist about your experience. |
Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |