All essential workers in England - and members of their household - are now eligible for coronavirus tests, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

[goneaway]

The relevant page about testing on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus ... al-workers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Testing is for essential workers "with symptoms". The page also confirms essential staff include those working in "postal services and delivery".

[themailman]

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[mickeymacca]

Full list here

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus ... ing-tested" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess we come under the utilities, communication and financial staff heading.

Many of us who have partners working in the NHS risk taking them out of the frontline for 2 weeks if we get symptoms that might not be CV19 so this is a welcome development.

[themailman]

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[Acca Dacca]

Only applies to NHS workers in Scotland

[Ali831]

Came too late for me, had symptoms last week and have completed my 7 day isolation. Was dreadful for a couple of days, fever gone and back to work tomorrow. Looking forward to getting out of the house to be honest. My wife works in a supermarket and they have been emailed by her employer to say they are on the list as 'critical' workers and entitled to be tested including family.

[frankieboy]

If I've heard it right on the news then we are on the list, Royal Mail will be cacking it right now because any person that is tested positive then they have to trace who they been in contact with, work wise and public wise, then all them people must isolate. This could mean whole offices closing down. I'll be on the website first thing tomorrow morning.

[DGH]

If I've heard it right on the news then we are on the list, Royal Mail will be cacking it right now because any person that is tested positive then they have to trace who they been in contact with, work wise and public wise, then all them people must isolate. This could mean whole offices closing down. I'll be on the website first thing tomorrow morning.

Yes, the consequences for any 'essential service' which has fairly large numbers of people in any given unit is potentially very significant. I'm not entirely certain that the government have thought through the implications.

[themailman]

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[A2B]

If I've heard it right on the news then we are on the list, Royal Mail will be cacking it right now because any person that is tested positive then they have to trace who they been in contact with, work wise and public wise, then all them people must isolate. This could mean whole offices closing down. I'll be on the website first thing tomorrow morning.

Didn't they stop the trace procedure a while back because it wasn't practical

[Ali831]

So from tomorrow any of us displaying symptoms or a family member displays symptoms means we can be tested. How many will or just self isolate instead?

[kookoo32]

Only applies to NHS workers in Scotland

Aye, Nicola has us (Scotland) lagging behind in the testing stakes. We will be onto COVID 20 by the time posties are eligible for testing in Scotland.

[FacesOfStone]

For me, it would depend. Unless the symptoms were heavy, I’d be inclined to ride it out for the initial 7 or 14 days. There’s a danger in people being to eager to snap up test kits and end up flooding the system. Additionally, it depends on how the tests are distributed; home kits are one thing, but a lot of people won’t able to access one of the test centres.

[SpacePhoenix]

If I've heard it right on the news then we are on the list, Royal Mail will be cacking it right now because any person that is tested positive then they have to trace who they been in contact with, work wise and public wise, then all them people must isolate. This could mean whole offices closing down. I'll be on the website first thing tomorrow morning.

Didn't they stop the trace procedure a while back because it wasn't practical

The tracing boat has probably long sailed by now. To have a chance of being viable they'd have to test EVERYONE in the UK to see who's got it and who hasn't and they'd probably need to do all that within a couple of days

[The Goats Toe]

A guy in our office delivers to the new Covid testing facility and he got tested today. Hes perfectly fine and showing no symptoms at all, he was telling me this evening that it only takes abt 15minutes in total. But he has to register on a website and they will email him in the next 24 hours with his results. SO if he comes back as positive are we all to isolate for 14 days? plus everyone house/business he delivers to?