LONDON (Reuters) – People with a central role in co-ordinating the response to coronavirus will be prioritized for testing along with those with severe symptoms, a health official said on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive.
Johnson and Health Minister Matt Hancock were tested for COVID-19 despite displaying only mild symptoms. Most people are not tested unless their symptoms worsen.
“The basis of all of this is firstly that you must have clinical symptoms, the default position without that is you would not be tested,” deputy chief medical officer for England Jenny Harries said at a news conference.
“The only other criteria would be the centrality of your role to the COVID-19 response and in this particular case I’m sure (you) will understand that the prime minister plays a very critical role in that.”
England’s National Health Service Chief Executive Simon Stevens said the aim was to double test numbers next week compared to this week.
(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Paul Sandle and Elizabeth Howcroft, writing by Alistair Smout; editing by Stephen Addison)
