THE military is to begin operating mobile coronavirus testing units which will travel to care homes, police stations and prisons across the UK.
The new units will test essential workers and vulnerable people in areas where there is “significant,” demand, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
The mobile facilities can be set up in less than 20 minutes and allow for hundreds of people to be tested each day.
Specially-trained members of the armed forces will collect swabs at the mobile sites before they are sent to “mega-labs,” for processing, with results available within 48 hours, the DHSC said.
It comes as the Government seeks to hit its 100,000-a-day testing target by next Thursday.
Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Downing Street daily briefing on Saturday that 28,760 tests were carried on Friday.
As of Sunday, there are eight mobile units carrying out tests across the country, in areas including Salisbury, Southport and Teesside.
However, the DHSC said “at least,” 96 will be ready to be deployed by the start of May.
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