Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will prioritise the testing of medical staff and their families during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Testing is a crucial part of the United Kingdom’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we are working on multiple fronts to deliver additional testing capacity into the system.

We are working hard to ensure we can adequately test for and respond to COVID-19. As part of this, we are ensuring we prioritise testing of the most acutely ill and vulnerable patients in hospitals.

As additional testing capacity becomes available, the next priority group will be National Health Service staff and other key workers.