Coronavirus antibody home testing kits will be available 'within days' from Amazon and Boots
Professor Sharon Peacock from Public Health England told MPs that 3.5million of the finger prick tests had been bought
By Gareth Davies, Breaking News Editor 25 March 2020 • 2:26pm
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The public will be able to conduct coronavirus antibody tests at home within a matter of days with finger prick kits that will be available from Amazon and Boots, MPs have heard.
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service, Public Health England (PHE) told the Science and Technology Committee that 3.5 million tests had been bought and would be available in the "near future".
She said the tests would also allow key workers - like doctors and nurses - to go back to work if they have developed antibodies.
Prof Peacock explained a small number of tests would be tested in a laboratory before being distributed via Amazon and in places like Boots.
Prof Peacock added: "Once we are assured that they do work, they will be rolled out into the community.
"Testing the test is a small matter, and I anticipate that it will be done by the end of this week.
"In the near future people will be able to order a test that they can test themselves, or go to Boots, or somewhere similar to have their finger prick test done."
Asked whether this meant it would be available in a number of days, rather than weeks or months, she said "absolutely".