Coronavirus tests in the UK are primarily being given to all patients in critical care for pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or flu like illness. All other patients requiring admission to hospital for pneumonia, ARDS or flu like illness are also being tested, and where an outbreak has occurred in a residential or care setting, people will be tested.
People in the community with a fever or cough don’t usually need testing, according to GOV.UK.
But a new kind of test is just around the corner.
Dr Hilary Jones revealed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain a blood test is just around the corner – three or four weeks away – which will be able to tell someone has had the virus, recovered from it, and if their immunity is long lasting.
The government is currently prioritising tests for healthcare workers.
Dr Hilary said: “We need healthcare workers to know if their symptoms are making patients vulnerable.”
The TV doctor added: “We don’t necessarily have them [tests] for people at home with mild symptoms – they’re not going to get tested because we simply don’t have capacity to do that.”
In terms of a vaccine for the virus, Dr Hilary confirmed this is still in development.
Teams are working around the world looking for a vaccine as quickly as they can.
But Dr Hilary said tis isn’t going to be available for a while.
He said: “It would be wrong to raise false hope and say it’s around the corner.”
For people who aren’t eligible for testing but have symptoms – a high temperature or a new, continuous cough – its advised to stay at home for seven days.
GOV.UK advises: “People do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation.
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“If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are not better after seven days contact NHS 111 online.
“If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111.
“For a medical emergency dial 999.”
If you live with someone who has symptoms, you’l also need to stay at home for 14 days from the day their symptoms started.
This is because it can take 14 days for symptoms to appear.
The NHS says: “If more than one person at home has symptoms, stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person started having symptoms.
“If you get symptoms, stay at home for seven days from when your symptoms start, even if it means you’re at home for longer than 14 days.
“If you do not get symptoms, you can stop staying at home after 14 days.”
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