Mobile testing site for coronavirus in Scarborough again tomorrow

The military-run mobile testing facility will be at the town’s Seamer Road park and ride site for one day.

The tests are for priority workers who have registered online and slots can be booked from 8pm today.

To register online visit https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk

To see who is eligible go to http://gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested.

Yesterday, the government said that anyone in the UK aged five and over who was showing symptoms of the coronavirus will now also be able to apply for tests.

The extension in testing eligibility comes ahead of the rollout of the new test and trace service and is possible thanks to increased testing capacity across the country as the government expands total testing capacity towards 200,000 tests a day.

The government has more than doubled the capacity of the NHS/Public Health England (PHE) laboratory network, set up 50 regional test centres and 116 mobile testing units, and introduced home testing kits and three Lighthouse laboratories.

The number of tests available for the general population will increase as capacity continues to expand.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Following the massive ramping up of our national testing programme, anybody with symptoms of coronavirus in the United Kingdom is now eligible for a test.

“This is a huge step forward in our plan to slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and give the peace of mind these tests can bring.

“We will continue to give priority to NHS staff and care home residents and workers in order to protect our most vulnerable.”

The tests will be available to anyone over the age of 5.

To book or order a testing kit visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.

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