Armed Forces to hand over Mobile Testing Unit control

Military support to the National Testing Programme will be handed over in coming weeks as the government pursues a long-term plan to deliver coronavirus tests.

Since April, the Armed Forces have deployed thousands of personnel at short notice to support coronavirus testing, working alongside NHS staff and civilians at both regional sites around the country and in mobile testing units, helping to deliver more than six million tests.

The mobile testing units played a vital role in helping essential workers, who were most vulnerable to the virus, access tests. Since the programme began, more than 2,700 service personnel have run 218 mobile testing units, working nearly one million hours to conduct more than 700,000 tests around the country. Now the Armed Forces will train civilian contractors to continue this essential role.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "Thousands of our Armed Forces personnel - regular, reservists plus supporting civilians - stepped up to serve on the front line in the fight against coronavirus.

"The four month mission of those on the national testing programme helped to carry out more than six million tests, with 218 military Mobile Testing Teams deploying around the country as needed. This is an extraordinary effort. As those teams now train civilian contactors to continue the work I want to say a huge thank you to our Armed Forces for doing what they do best and supporting the nation’s resilience in a time of crisis."