“A new pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of asymptomatic testing for people in high-contact professions has launched today in England,” the department said in a statement.
This pilot scheme will include a select group of staff such as taxi drivers, cleaners and retail assistants, “to see if there is demand for testing amongst these kinds of workers, and how they are affected by the virus.”
A targeted swab testing will take place in partnership with four local authorities, as well as businesses representing high-contact professions, with tens of thousands of tests offered to selected groups, the Department said.