Michael Gove has said the Government has brought together universities, businesses and research institutes in a “new alliance” to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the daily Downing Street press conference: “Today I can announce that the Prime Minister has brought together businesses, research institutes and universities in a new alliance to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.
“This will be antigen testing – testing whether people currently have the disease – so that our health and social care workers can have security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative.
“These tests will be trialed for people on the frontline starting immediately, with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend – dramatically scaling up next week.”
Mr Gove thanked those working in the NHS and “all those involved in this effort to reinforce the frontline in the battle against the virus”.
And he said: “The best scientific analysis now is that the rate of infection has been doubling every three to four days.”
