THOUSANDS of people who work in high-risk occupations, such as taxi drivers, cleaners and shop workers, will be tested for coronavirus as part of a new pilot even though they have no symptoms, the Department of Health has announced.

The news comes after more parts of the UK’s economy - including Gyms - could be given the green light to reopen, a day after the Chancellor announced an emergency support package to protect against the coronavirus recession.

Meanwhile, just 1.8 per cent of people who took a Covid-19 test using a home test kit in the week ending July 1 received their result within 24 hours – roughly the same proportion as in the previous week (2.2 per cent).

A total of 68.9 per cent of people received their result between 24 and 48 hours after taking the test, up from 55.1 per cent in the previous week.