Leicestershire to trial lateral flow tests

Rapid result coronavirus test kits will be sent to Leicestershire after the county was added to the list of trial areas.

Leicestershire County Council says the move follows productive discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care.

It means that the Government will send the council up to 80,000 kits a week as part of its plan to expand asymptomatic testing across the country.

Nick Rushton, Leicestershire County Council Leader said: "This is good news. We’ve had a productive conversation with Government leads and are pleased to be included on the list. I’m grateful to those MPs who supported our case.

"Like other areas, we want to try every means possible to defeat the virus and enable life to become more normal.

"Given our early application and rates, it was surprising we weren’t named initially but this is a helpful outcome and means we can roll out the tests in hot spot areas."

The council says it can draw down from the national supply as needed but is looking to have a stock of 10,000 kits at any one time to deploy rapidly.