Matt Hancock is due to lead the government’s press conference tonight.
The Health Secretary will chair a conference and announce further details on how areas in Tier 3 will be able to access mass testing – as promised by the PM.
What time is Matt Hancock’s announcement tonight?
The press conference is scheduled to start at 5pm this afternoon, November 30.
Boris Johnson has insisted that people in the top Tier 3 levels will be able to get access to thousands of rapid result tests – like in Liverpool.
The roll out of tests using the Army, and offering them to people even if they have no symptoms, has helped to slash the rate of infection in Liverpool.
Testing shows the checks can effectively pick up more than three in four positive cases – the majority of which are currently being missed.
The kits, known as lateral flow tests, have been trialled across England to find out their effectiveness, including a city-wide pilot in the Northern city.
The tests involve a swab of the nose and throat, just like a PCR test.
It’s then inserted into a tube of liquid and drops from there are then added to a strip – similar to a pregnancy test – and about half an hour later a result is shown.
What is Matt Hancock set to announce?
He will announce further details on the Government’s community testing programme, Downing Street has said.
It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that, while the drop in cases is “encouraging”, the public must stick to the rules in the coming weeks.
He may also make a statement on the roll-out of the Covid vaccine.
Reports suggest the NHS is preparing for a rollout of the Covid vaccine “within days” – with some suggesting as early as Wednesday.
It’s expected that there will be a further press conference later this week as England comes out of the month-long shut down.
How can I watch the speech live?
It has not been finalised but it’s almost certain BBC News and Sky News will be covering events.
Viewers can also watch via Trending In The News’s website or YouTube channel.
