Companies with more than 50 employees will be offered rapid Covid testing - what you need to know

By Rhona Shennan
Published 8th Feb 2021, 10:46 BST
Updated 8th Feb 2021, 11:20 BST
Previously the rapid testing initiative was only available to larger businesses with more than 250 employees (Photo: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)Previously the rapid testing initiative was only available to larger businesses with more than 250 employees (Photo: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
Previously the rapid testing initiative was only available to larger businesses with more than 250 employees (Photo: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

The Government will offer rapid tests to workplaces with more than 50 employees in a bid to get the spread of Covid-19 under control.

According to a statement, cabinet ministers have been tasked with encouraging their sectors to take up the offer of rapid workplace testing, in an effort to normalise the practice across both public and private sectors.

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Previously, lateral flow tests - which produce results in less than 30 minutes - were only available to firms with more than 250 staff.

A total of 112 organisations across almost 500 sites have already joined the Government-backed rapid testing scheme, and now more medium and small companies are able to sign up, due to the criteria change.

Businesses that have already signed up to workplace testing include the likes of Royal Mail, Tate & Lyle Sugars, Primula, Moy Park, Octopus Energy, Apetito and DVLA.

“This expansion of testing will find more positive cases, keeping workers who cannot work from home from unknowingly passing on the virus and protecting vital public services,” the Government said.

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‘Strongly urge businesses to sign up for rapid testing’

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “To save lives and protect the NHS, we have again asked for everyone to work from home. But we know that for some, this is not possible, which is why the workplace rapid testing programme is so important.

“Employers