Coronavirus tests for pupils in London, Essex and Kent

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that mass testing will be rolled out to secondary school children in the worst-affected areas of London, Kent and Essex.

There has been a steep rise in coronavirus infection rates in these areas, especially amongst the 11 to 18-year-old age group. The increase in rates has prompted the government to determine that the age group in the areas should be tested regardless of symptoms, as waiting for the next review of the tiered restrictions on 16 December was not an option.

Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, Hancock warned that past experience and study has shown that ‘a sharp rise in case in younger people can lead to a rise among more vulnerable age groups later’. Nonetheless, he said that  it was right to keep schools open ‘for education and for public health’.

The mass testing plan will apply in the seven worst-affected boroughs of London, plus parts of Essex that border London and parts of Kent. Both PCR (a standard coronavirus test) and lateral flow testing - which takes about half an hour to show a result - would be used. Kent is in tier three, the highest level restriction set by the government, whilst London and Essex are currently in tier two - the second highest level.

Four London boroughs were among the 20 places with the highest case rates in England in the week ending 6 December, according to Public Health England. They are Havering (400.7 cases per 100,000 people), Barking and Dagenham (333.5), Waltham Forest (327.1) and Redbridge (310.3).