The World Health Organisation has told countries to “test, test, test” as the backbone of their coronavirus response. But what tests are available – and to whom – in the UK?

How many people have been tested?

As of 9am on Easter Monday, more than 365,000 coronavirus tests had been completed in the UK on more than 290,000 people.

Of those, more than 88,500 tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 11,300 have died.

Some people are tested more than once for clinical reasons.

How do the tests work?

The diagnostic tests – known as antigen tests – currently being conducted in the UK are done by taking a swab of the nose or throat.

These are then sent off to a laboratory to spot signs of the virus’s genetic material.

Who can get one?

Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK, tests have been reserved for those who end up in hospital with COVID-19 symptoms.

Testing has now also been expanded to include NHS staff – or members of their same household – who display symptoms.

This action has been taken in an attempt to get NHS staff back to work as soon as possible.

It has been suggested many NHS workers might actually be self-isolating themselves unnecessarily if they or a household member test display coronavirus-like symptoms, but do not actually have the illness.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms but are not ill enough to require hospital treatment and are not an NHS worker nor live in the same household as one, then you will not be tested.

Instead, you are advised to self-isolate for seven days or until you no longer have a high temperature.

If you live with someone who has symptoms, you’ll need to self-isolate for 14 days from the day their symptoms started.

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