By Joel Oluwadamilare O

The new website for key workers to book coronavirus tests has temporarily closed – hours after being opened by the government.

The Department of Health said it was working to “rapidly increase” availability, with more tests due to become available on Saturday.

Downing Street said 5,000 home testing kits were ordered in the first two minutes of the website going live.

About 15,000 tests were booked to take place on Friday at drive-through sites.

No 10 said the total amount of home testing kits available on Friday were ordered, adding it hoped to have 18,000 kits available each day for key workers by the “end of next week”.

The website would be back up and running when the next batch of slots become available, the spokesman added.

The expanded testing scheme announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday allows all essential workers in England to register for tests on the government’s website, if they or a family member have virus symptoms.

Up to 10 million key workers and their households are now eligible for testing, with the aim of allowing essential staff to safely return to work.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the new system would also apply there “very soon”, while Wales and Northern Ireland have both announced separate plans to expand testing.

Downing Street said the government is trusting that those applying for testing are key workers, with no eligibility checks in place for online bookings.

The website opened on Friday but appeared to close by mid-morning with some users met by an “applications closed” message.

READ FULL DETAILS HERE >>>https://naijajeodax.com/2020/04/coronavirus-test-website-closes-after-significant-demand/

https://naijajeodax.com/2020/04/coronavirus-test-website-closes-after-significant-demand/

Naijajeodax:
By Joel Oluwadamilare O

The new website for key workers to book coronavirus tests has temporarily closed – hours after being opened by the government.

The Department of Health said it was working to “rapidly increase” availability, with more tests due to become available on Saturday.

Downing Street said 5,000 home testing kits were ordered in the first two minutes of the website going live.

About 15,000 tests were booked to take place on Friday at drive-through sites.

No 10 said the total amount of home testing kits available on Friday were ordered, adding it hoped to have 18,000 kits available each day for key workers by the “end of next week”.

The website would be back up and running when the next batch of slots become available, the spokesman added.

The expanded testing scheme announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday allows all essential workers in England to register for tests on the government’s website, if they or a family member have virus symptoms.

Up to 10 million key workers and their households are now eligible for testing, with the aim of allowing essential staff to safely return to work.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the new system would also apply there “very soon”, while Wales and Northern Ireland have both announced separate plans to expand testing.

Downing Street said the government is trusting that those applying for testing are key workers, with no eligibility checks in place for online bookings.

The website opened on Friday but appeared to close by mid-morning with some users met by an “applications closed” message.

READ FULL DETAILS HERE >>>https://naijajeodax.com/2020/04/coronavirus-test-website-closes-after-significant-demand/