Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will be rolled out across NHS hospitals, care homes and labs from next week.
- Both tests will be able to detect COVID-19 and other winter viruses in just 90 minutes
- New tests will hugely increase testing capacity ahead of winter, delivering fast results that will help to break chains of transmission quickly
Millions of ground-breaking rapid coronavirus tests will be rolled out to hospitals, care homes and labs across the UK to increase testing capacity ahead of winter. The tests will enable clinicians and NHS Test and Trace to quickly advise on the best course of action to stop the spread of the virus.
Two new tests – both able to detect the virus in just 90 minutes – will be made available to NHS hospitals, care homes and labs. The 2 tests will be able to detect both COVID-19 and other winter viruses such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The tests do not require a trained health professional to operate them, meaning they can be rolled out in more non-clinical settings.
This will help to further strengthen the coronavirus response this winter, arming both clinicians and NHS Test and Trace with the ability to distinguish between COVID-19 cases, which have specific self-isolation requirements, and other winter viruses.
Craig Whittaker MP, said:
As we prepare for winter, we will ensure that our local NHS and Calder Valley care homes have the most innovative technologies available to them - to aid in the ongoing battle against coronavirus and continuing to save lives.
These two groundbreaking new tests – both able to detect the virus in just 90 minutes – do not require a trained health professional to operate them, meaning they can be rolled out in more non-clinical settings.
Alongside our hugely increased testing capacity, we will ensure that our NHS and care homes get the backing they need to continue to support and care for our loved ones and save lives throughout the winter and beyond.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:
We’re using the most innovative technologies available to tackle coronavirus. Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will provide on-the-spot results in under 90 minutes, helping us to break chains of transmission quickly.
The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19 will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others.
I am hugely grateful for the excellent work done by DnaNudge and Oxford Nanopore to push forward these life-saving innovations in coronavirus testing.
A new test that uses DNA to detect the virus will be rolled out across NHS hospitals from September, with 5,000 DNA machines, supplied by DnaNudge, to provide 5.8 million tests in the coming months.
Separately, 450,000 90-minute LamPORE swab tests will also be available across adult care setting and laboratories from next week, supplied by Oxford Nanopore.
DNA testing for coronavirus
5,000 DNA ‘Nudgebox’ machines, supplied by DnaNudge, will be rolled out across NHS hospitals in the UK to analyse DNA in nose swabs, providing a positive or negative result for COVID-19 in 90 minutes, at the point of care. The machines will process up to 15 tests on the spot each day without the need for a laboratory.
The DNA COVID-19 test machines are currently operating in 8 London hospitals:
- St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington
- Charing Cross Hospital
- West Middlesex University Hospital
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
- Royal Hospital Chelsea
- Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Maternity Hospital
- the Renal Transplant Centre at Hammersmith Hospital
- the Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health at Mile End Hospital
The machines are located in cancer wards, A&E and maternity wards to protect those most at risk.
The government is signing contracts with more companies to produce machines for DNA coronavirus testing.