Coronavirus: Military to run mobile testing for all care home staff

The military will begin running mobile coronavirus testing units across the UK to test essential workers including care homes and the vulnerable where there is significant demand.

The government has pledged to set up at least 96 units by the end of May which can travel to care homes, police stations, fire stations, benefits centres and prisons, where staff can receive results within 48 hours and return safely to work or isolate.

Mobile facilities can be set up in under 20 minutes

The aim is for essential workers and the most vulnerable to receive increased access to coronavirus tests due to the new network of mobile testing units.

The announcement comes as the government aims to reach 100,000 tests a day by the end of April.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace said: “Our armed forces will help deliver testing to where it’s most needed, using a network of up to 96 mobile units that will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

“They will make sure our care sector get the testing required to remain in the frontline of the fight against this pandemic.”

The number of new mobile units is being scaled up after a successful pilot last week, which saw Department of Health and Social Care vehicles refitted to fully functioning testing sites, following a design developed by the Royal Engineers of the British Army.

Today, there are eight existing mobile units carrying out tests across the country, including in Salisbury, Southport and Teesside.

Mobile facilities can be set up in under 20 minutes, allowing the testing of hundreds of people each day and are now travelling to those most in need and hard to reach.

Specially trained Armed Forces personnel will collect swabs at the mobile sites, before they are sent to mega-labs for processing. Those tested will receive results within 48 hours.

Testing minister Lord Bethell said: “Testing is key in our battle against coronavirus. We now have the ability to provide more people with the certainty they need to get back to the front line when it is safe to do so.

“Everyone who needs a coronavirus test should be able to have access to one. New mobile testing units will travel the country to provide vital frontline workers with tests so those testing negative to safely return to work.

“We have built up capacity in the system with new testing facilities backed by Britain’s world-class scientists and industry partners. This means more workers can know if they have coronavirus if they have been demonstrating symptoms.”

This follows the announcement last week that other frontline workers would join the priority list for coronavirus testing, alongside the existing commitment to make sure patients and NHS staff are tested for the virus.

National Testing coordinator John Newton said: “Across the country we are creating new infrastructure to rapidly increase our capacity to test for coronavirus. New mobile testing units will help us achieve our goal of 100,000 coronavirus tests a day, providing tests to vital frontline workers wherever they need them.

"In a matter of weeks, we have worked with Britain’s leading scientists, academics and industry partners to build scores of new testing facilities and Britain’s largest network of diagnostic labs in history.

"Each day we are delivering more coronavirus tests allowing more frontline staff testing negative for the virus to safely return to work."

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