Government moves to increase workplace testing

The government has confirmed that cabinet ministers have been tasked to encourage their sectors to take up the offer of rapid workplace testing.

The government is working closely with organisations across different sectors that are vital to the running of our country and where employees cannot work from home during lockdown to sign up to rapid testing programmes that identify cases of coronavirus in employees who are not showing symptoms.

So far, 112 UK organisations across almost 500 sites have joined government backed rapid testing. The government has now widened the criteria for joining the workplace rapid testing programme from businesses with more than 250 employees, to businesses with more than 50 employees.

This increases the number of different businesses that are able to sign up, so that small and medium size companies can benefit from rapid testing as the Prime Minister continues his mantra to Build Back Better.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “To save lives and protect the NHS, we have again asked for everyone to work from home. But we know that for some this is not possible, which is why the workplace rapid testing programme is so important.

“Employers should regularly test their staff, and this drive across government to raise awareness and encourage more businesses to introduce rapid testing for employees is incredibly important. When you consider that around one in three people have the virus without symptoms and could potentially infect people without even knowing it, it becomes clear why focusing testing on those without symptoms is so essential.

“We are already working with many employers to scale up workforce testing, spanning the food industry, retail sector, transport network, and across the public sector too. I strongly urge businesses and employees across the country to take up this offer of rapid testing to help stop this virus spreading further.”