Coronavirus tests are now available for all persons over 65, as well as all key workers in the UK. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government now has the capacity to conduct 73,400 coronavirus tests each day. But how long does it take to get your result once you have been tested?

Mr Hancock announced plans to expand the list of eligible persons for the Government’s testing.

The Health Secretary now said all asymptomatic NHS and care staff, as well as over-65s and those travelling to work, will now qualify for testing.

So far, the Government has conducted 700,387 tests, of which 43,453 were undertaken yesterday.

According to the gov.uk website the following are permitted to get tests:

• All those working on the frontline in health and social care (with or without symptoms)
• patients in the NHS and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms)
• All other essential workers with symptoms
• People who live with essential workers and have symptoms
• People over 65 with symptoms
• Anyone who goes into work because they cannot work from home (for example, construction workers) and has symptoms

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The Government has said any of these workers is now permitted to find out whether they have the virus.

Testing is most effective within three days of symptoms developing. 

The key symptoms of coronavirus are:

• A high temperature, meaning you feel hot to touch on your chest or back.
• A new, continuous cough meaning coughing a lot for more than an hour of three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. 

How can you arrange a test?

The self-referral and employer referral test booking routes are available for eligible persons in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You can find out how to apply in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland here.

For workers in England, you can self-refer online here, where you will be asked to select a regional test site for a drive-through test or can request a home-test kit.

Initially, home test kits will be limited but will become more available in the future.

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How long does it take to get your coronavirus test result?

The testing process involves taking a swab of your nose and the back of your throat which can be done by yourself or by another person.

Across all testing methods, there is a network of couriers who collect completed samples ad deliver them safely to a one of the Government’s testing laboratories.

The swab samples are then analysed by the scientists in these labs before the results are communicated back to the individual.

The Government aims to return tests results within 48 hours of a swab being taken by officials at regional testing sites, mobile testing sites, satellite centres or NHS facilities.

However, test results may take up to 72 hours to be returned for home test kits.

Why is testing so important?

Testing is crucial in determining how far the virus has spread.

Additionally, testing is paramount for frontline workers such as NHS staff and social care workers, to ensure they can safely undertake their vital work without putting others at risk.

Testing can help the NHS plan for extra demand, including intensive care services and could help inform crucial decisions such as social distancing and lockdown restrictions.

Countries like Germany were much quicker to undertake mass testing and the benefits are evident with the country now beginning to scale-back lockdown restrictions last week.

What testing promises has the Government made?

The Government has pledged to conduct 100,000 coronavirus tests each day by the end of April.

With two days left until the end of the month, the Government has now opened testing up to more than 10 million key workers and more than 11.9million people aged over 65.

Currently, there are around 30 regional test centres around the country, with the Government hoping to have up to 50 sites open by the end of the month.

The British Medical Association has said the accessibility of centres is a major problem.

The Government has also pledged to launch a new contact tracing app in the net few weeks in a bid to allow people to self-report if they have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 and alert others they may have come into contact with.

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