Mass testing to begin as UK steps further out of lockdown

Twice-weekly checks will ensure the vaccination drive is ‘not wasted’, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

People in England will soon have access to a COVID-19 test twice a week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, as the country looks ahead to post-pandemic life. Johnson said on Monday that the programme would break the chain of transmissions and help detect asymptomatic cases, which are believed to account for one in three of all infections. The mass-testing plan, which will come into effect on Friday, will see lateral flow kits capable of providing results in about 30 minutes made available, free of charge, at COVID-19 testing sites, pharmacies and via the post.