Antibody testing could reveal how many people in the UK have had coronavirus without showing any symptoms.
Those people could be immune to Covid-19.
It's believed that if someone is confident they are unlikely to get coronavirus again, they could get back to work more quickly.
Here's what the new test is and why it is being called a 'game-changer'.
WHAT IS THE NEW TEST?
Pharmaceutical giant Roche has developed a test which can tell whether somebody has ever had coronavirus.
It involves taking a small sample of blood and testing it for antibodies which will indicate exposure to coronavirus.
Public Health England (PHE) has evaluated the new Roche test and has approved it as being safe and reliable for widespread use.
HOW RELIABLE IS IT?
Very. The test picks up 100 per cent of people who have had coronavirus.
This means it has 100 per cent sensitivity.
It also has a specificity of over 99.8 per cent.
A test that is 100 per cent specific means all healthy individuals are correctly identified as healthy - there are no false positives.
Some experts say the Roche test does leave room for false positive results.
WHAT IF I’VE NEVER HAD SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?
It doesn’t matter.
Experts believe a proportion of people who have had Covid-19 never actually develop symptoms.
The test can identify people who've had the virus even if they have never had any indication they are infected.
IF THE TEST SHOWS I’VE HAD COVID-19, AM I NOW IMMUNE FROM IT?
Scientists are unsure and there is still a lot to learn about coronavirus.
It’s believed that while the presence of antibodies indicates a level of immunity, it is unclear whether people are completely protected and how long any immunity lasts.
CAN I GET THE NEW TEST?
Not yet. The Government plans to first roll out the test to front-line workers such as those in health and social care.
It is hoped the test will become available to the wider public, although it is yet unclear how.
Roche says it will be able to provide hundreds of thousands of tests to the UK every week.
IS IT A POTENTIAL ‘GAME CHANGER’?
If it proved immunity, people could go back to work and socialise with others without fear of catching or spreading the virus.
On a large scale, it could also be vital in tracking the disease.
