Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries has said home testing coronavirus kits could be “game-changing”.
Dr Jenny appeared on This Morning on Thursday, March 26, to speak about the kits and when they’ll be released.
Health officials revealed this week they had ordered millions of home testing kits and planned to distribute them “within days”.
Read more: Deputy Chief Medical Officer issues plea to Brits to ‘learn to live lives with new restrictions’
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service at Public Health England, said: “Several million tests have been purchased for use.
“These are brand new products. We have to be clear they work as they are claimed to do.
“Once they have been tested this week and the bulk of tests arrive, they will be distributed into the community.”
Dr Jenny has said they want to ensure the tests are accurate therefore won’t be releasing them to the public until they are perfect.
What did she say on This Morning?
She said: “I think eventually it will be really helpful, it’s going to be quite a game-changer.
'You have to be absolutely sure that you're not doing more harm than good with your vaccine' says Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jenny Harries.
But how close are we to getting a coronavirus vaccine? pic.twitter.com/lJeS8ycF1F
— This Morning (@thismorning) March 26, 2020
“Firstly, it will tell us which of us have had the disease.
“That’s important particularly for our health and care staff so they can be at work and have no risk.”
Dr Jenny added that NHS staff will receive home testing tests first as they are on the frontline battling the virus.
She said: “We have to be really supportive of our frontline staff and that’s both in the health and care sector.
“But also other responders like the police and the ambulance service to make sure they are right at the top of that line.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the kits are antibody tests.
This means they don’t allow people to see if they have coronavirus – but rather, to see if they have already had it.
He said they “will allow people to see whether they have had the virus and are immune to it” therefore they “can go back to work”.
The home test kits take just 15 minutes to use.
Where can you buy them?
Online retail giant Amazon will deliver them to people who are self-isolating with symptoms of the flu-like bug.
In addition, they will also go on sale on the high street.
It reportedly looks similar to a pregnancy test and involves a finger prick.
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