PEOPLE who are not displaying coronavirus symptoms will soon be able to purchase a Covid test on the high street which gives a result in just 12 minutes.
The £120 nasal swab will be available at selected Boots pharmacies across the UK.
Anyone who is showing Covid symptoms must still self-isolate, contact the NHS, and book a test in the usual way.
Boots say their test is an “accessible solution for those who would prefer peace of mind before seeing friends and family”.
The tests are due to launch at 10 Boots stores in November across Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Birmingham and Manchester, with plans to extend to 50 stores across the UK.
The tests use a nose swab sample taken on the spot to quickly give results from a small, portable machine.
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A spokesperson for the retailer also said that the £120 price tag may drop if demand is high.
However, Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia told the BBC that, while the test could give peace of mind at the time it was taken: "A negative test today tells you nothing really about whether you are going to be positive a day or two later."
Seb James, Boots’ UK managing director, said: “Boots has supported the Government’s Covid-19 testing programme from the very start and offering this new in-store service is the next step in our efforts to fight against the pandemic.
“We hope that by offering this testing option in local community stores, Boots can help ease pressure on the NHS and the Government by providing additional access to testing and crucial reassurances for people across the UK.”
READ MORE: Scottish Government buys up 'revolutionary' 12-minute coronavirus tests
However, the test will not be an acceptable pre-flight guarantee the person is Covid-free, as the results are not processed at a registered laboratory. Boots will launch a separate 48-hour testing service to meet pre-flight requirements.
The 12-minute tests have been developed by LumiraDx, who have also made a deal with NHS Scotland to provide the tests north of the Border.
Scotland's Trade Minister Ivan McKee says the testing units have the potential to "revolutionise the fight against the virus".
NHS Scotland is to spend £6.76 million on 300 rapid testing machines and at least 500,000 tests.
McKee said the deal, which will see the test strips made at LumiraDx’s Stirling base, will create jobs in Scotland.
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