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Council workers and their families given access to coronavirus testing by government
Workers such as those delivering social care, benefit payments and support for homeless people are to be included in coronavirus testing for essential workers, the housing secretary has said.
Robert Jenrick has written to all local authorities in England to say that council workers and members of their household can now be tested for coronavirus.
The expanded testing includes social and care workers – with social care workers in care homes able to be tested with or without symptoms.
It also covers workers delivering “essential public services”, such as benefit payments and those working with vulnerable children and adults, victims of domestic abuse, homeless people and rough sleepers.
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Support for Liverpool’s vulnerable residents at risk as coronavirus funding falls short, warns mayorMore testing means that these workers can return to work if the test results are negative.
Mr Jenrick said: “The unsung heroes in local government are supporting communities across the country during the pandemic, from helping vulnerable people to ensuring our bins are collected.
“We’ve expanded the national testing programme to prioritise essential workers, such as council staff who are keeping the country going.”
The workers can book home-testing kits or appointments at drive-through centres via a new online system if they are experiencing symptoms.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the aim is that people should not have to drive more than 45 minutes to reach a testing site, and that other methods – such as mobile testing units – are being “rapidly established”.
This week Inside Housing reported that some workers were travelling more than two hours to reach testing sites.
