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Millions more people will qualify for free coronavirus tests as ministers ramp up their “test and trace” plans in order to begin easing the lockdown.

The Government has announced that over-65s and their families would now be eligible if they are showing symptoms.

The new policy also covers workers who have to leave home.

In addition, care home staff and residents, NHS workers and hospital patients will be able to get a test even if they have no symptoms.

In total, roughly 25 million people in England should be able to find out whether or not they have the disease.

(Image: Rick Byrne / GrimsbyLive)

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “From construction workers to emergency plumbers, from research scientists to those in manufacturing, the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe.

“It’s possible because we’ve expanded capacity for testing thus far.”

But the latest figures show daily capacity for tests stands at just 73,400 tests – some way off the 100,000 a day promised by Thursday – and just 43,453 tests were carried out on Tuesday.

(Image: Ben Cawthra/LNP)

The Government, which abandoned test and trace in mid-March as the infection rate soared, has been slow off the mark compared with other nations, but is now relying on the strategy to slow the spread.

As ministers look at ways of getting the country back on its feet, pubs could reopen if they followed tough measures such as rationing drinkers to three pints, experts have revealed.

The strict rules would include social distancing and could change the face of pubs in the coming months with landlords turning enforcers and fining those who flout the rules.

The terms are outlined in a plan by economist and government adviser Professor Eyal Winter.

(Image: Rick Byrne / GrimsbyLive)

Ministers were on Tuesday unable to say how many tracers have already been hired out of the 18,000 target while health chiefs said the accompanying NHS app would take another “two to three weeks” to be ready.

The UK government has set a new target of recruiting an army of 18,000 coronavirus contact tracers by the middle of May

The latest expansion of testing comes just days after millions key workers like bus drivers and supermarket staff were offered the tests as Mr Hancock desperately tries to hit his target.

(Image: Guernsey Press / SWNS.COM)

Another 586 hospital deaths were announced yesterday, taking the tragic total to 21,678, although the true figure is expected to be far higher, putting the UK on track to record one of the worst coronavirus death tolls in Europe.

The Government finally gave in to pressure to publish daily Covid-19 deaths in care homes - where a third of deaths from the virus now takes place - and the community in addition to the hospital figures from today.

It came as the nation held a minute’s silence to honour more than 100 NHS and social care workers who have lost their lives on the coronavirus frontline.

(Image: 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty)

Boris Johnson has been coming under growing pressure to publish a path out of the coronavirus lockdown but will be keeping a close eye on overseas.

Spain has announced a four-phase plan to lift one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in Europe and return to normality by the end of June.

However, Germany could be forced to bring back elements of its lockdown amid signs that coronavirus cases could be on the rise again after easing the rules.

The PM, who No 10 refused to confirm would appear at PMQs on Wednesday, gave the first glimmer of hope to the weary public on Monday by promising to unveil the first steps to easing the restrictions.

Measures including extending the “social bubble” people can spend time with, wearing face masks on public transport and in some workplaces as well as quarantining new arrivals in the UK are all on the table.

But a survey of 14 countries found that Brits are the most fearful about life going back to normal until Covid-19 is fully contained.

Pollsters Ipsos Mori found 70% of people here are against getting the economy back up and running while the disease still poses a major risk.

The Cabinet is meeting on Thursday to discuss “refining” the measures ahead of the next official review of the lockdown on May 7.

Downing Street has repeatedly said that five key tests will have to be met first - but was forced to deny that it had relaxed the final test which is now to avoid a second peak of the virus “that would overwhelm the NHS”.

Ministers have also held talks with trades unions and business leaders as they plan how to start easing the coronavirus lockdown.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has chaired meetings by sector in recent days amid concerns millions of people may be too fearful to return to work - even when they get the green light.

Mr Johnson has urged Tory MPs and businesses pressing for a swift end to the lockdown to “contain your impatience” as the country was at the “moment of maximum risk” from the deadly virus.

But he also promised to “fire up the engines” of the economy as soon as it is safe to do so.

(Image: Philip Coburn)

In other measures, pubs could reopen if they followed tough measures such as rationing drinkers to three pints, experts have revealed.

The strict rules would include social distancing and could change the face of British pubs in the coming months with landlords turning enforcers and fining those who flout the rules.

The terms are outlined in a plan by economist and government adviser Professor Eyal Winter to get the country back on its feet.

The Government has confirmed that “click and collect” services for non-essential shops and garden centres are now able to go ahead, as long as customers don’t enter the premises.

It also announced that rubbish tips and recycling centres are to reopen.

Scotland, which has repeatedly given early hints of announcements in the rest of the UK, yesterday recommended the public wear face coverings or scarves - as opposed to masks - in limited circumstances such as in shops or on public transport.

But Mr Hancock claimed the science was “weak” on the effectiveness of face masks to prevent the spread of the disease while Government science chiefs suggested it would have a “small effect” on the outbreak.

The NHS phone app - which would run alongside ‘test and trace’ and could enable some lockdown measures to be lifted - will be ready for national roll-out in “two to three weeks”.

The boss of the health service’s tech arm NHSX told MPs just 60% of the population would need to use it for it to be effective.

A similar smartphone app which notifies people if they have been near someone who has developed symptoms has allowed lockdown to be lifted in countries such as South Korea.

Six existing drugs have now entered national clinical trials to treat coronavirus, and the first is ready to enter the next stage, a new early-phase clinical trial platform launched yesterday.