Essential workers are now able to get tested for coronavirus – the Government has announced.

But which key workers are eligible – and what is the difference between the two types of testing sites?

Here's what you need to know.

Which essential workers can get a coronavirus test?

To be eligible for testing people must be:

  • Currently self-isolating for five days or less due to suspected COVID-19 infection, or;
  • A member of an essential worker’s household who has suspected COVID-19 infection and has been self-isolating for five days or less (which has resulted in the member of staff self-isolating as well).

Testing is most effective in the first three days of COVID-19 symptoms appearing. Testing is considered effective up until day five. No testing should be undertaken after day five, unless for a specific reason.

Here are the key workers in England who can get tested:

  • all NHS and social care staff, including:
  • doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers
  • the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector
  • those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines, and medical and personal protective equipment
  • NHS Blood and Transplant frontline staff (blood donation staff, specialist nurses for organ donation, staff running therapeutic apheresis services in NHS hospitals)
  • those providing ancillary support to NHS workers (such as hotel accommodation for NHS staff)
  • essential public services staff, including:
  • prisons, probation, courts and tribunals staff, judiciary
  • religious staff
  • charities and workers delivering critical frontline services
  • those responsible for the management of the deceased
  • journalists and broadcasters covering coronavirus or providing public service broadcasting
  • public health and environmental staff, such as specialist community public health nursing
  • public safety and national security staff, including:
  • police and support staff
  • Ministry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of critical defence and national security outputs and critical to the response to the coronavirus pandemic), including defence medical staff
  • fire and rescue service employees (including support staff),
  • National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas
  • British Transport Police and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • transport workers, including:
  • those who keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the coronavirus response
  • those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass
  • education and childcare workers, including:
  • support and teaching staff
  • social workers
  • specialist education professionals
  • critical personnel in the production and distribution of food, drink and essential goods, including:
  • those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery
  • those critical to the provision of other essential goods, such as medical supply chain and distribution workers, including community pharmacy and testing (such as PHE labs), and veterinary medicine
  • workers critical to the continuity of essential movement of goods
  • local and national government staff critical to the effective delivery of the coronavirus response, or delivering essential public services, such as the payment of benefits
  • public and environmental health staff, including in government agencies and arm’s length bodies
  • funeral industry workers
  • frontline local authority staff and volunteers, including
  • those working with vulnerable children and adults, victims of domestic abuse, and the homeless and rough sleepers (and hotel staff supporting these groups)
  • voluntary sector organisations providing substance misuse treatment
  • utilities, communication and financial services staff, including:
  • staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)
  • the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage)
  • information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the coronavirus response
  • essential staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 essential services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors

How do I arrange a test?

Essential workers will be able to enter their details at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and then receive an email or text the same day inviting them to book at test.

They will be able to choose between booking an appointment at one of more than 30 regional drive-through test site or being sent a home test kit.

But the Government has stressed these kit numbers will initially be limited, so it is encouraging people to attend a regional test site if they can.

People who cannot go online can book a test through their employer, Mr Hancock said.

Where will the tests take place?

The Government said it is planning to open 50 drive-through testing sites by the end of April with the aim that most people will not have to drive for more than 45 minutes to get to a regional testing site.

A delivery service for home testing kits has been designed with industry partners, including Royal Mail and Amazon.

A network of new mobile testing units designed by Army engineers is being set up to travel to care homes, police stations, prisons and other sites where there is demand for testing.

Packages of satellite test kits will also be sent directly to care homes across England to enable testing of symptomatic residents.

What does the test involve?

The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat, and can be done by the person themselves or by someone else.

What happens next?

Completed samples will be sent to a testing laboratory where they are analysed.

The Government said that it is aiming for tests from drive-through sites to be sent out by text within 48 hours and home testing kit results within 72 hours of collection.

People will be given advice on any next steps that need to be taken after receiving their results.

What is the difference between the testing sites?

In certain parts of the country – like Cumbria – some testing sites can be accessed by anyone who is an essential worker, whereas others are only for health and social care staff only (including the independent and voluntary sectors).