THE military is on standby to assist in York if the city wins the go ahead to carry out mass testing for coronavirus.

However, it seems that other cities in the region with higher infection rates - and those which have been placed in Tier 3 from next month - might get to roll out such lateral flow testing before York, which has low and falling rates and was yesterday put in Tier 2.

City of York Council said its application for the rollout of lateral flow testing in York was ‘still in progress'.

A spokeswoman said the military were on standby at the request of the Government to support with the logistics of any whole town testing that might be needed in high Covid-19 prevalence areas.

“Discussions are taking place at a regional Yorkshire and Humber level about the deployment of this resource,” said the council spokeswoman.

“The areas with the highest rate of cases of Covid-19 will be prioritised.”

She stressed that the council was not in direct discussions with the Army, and any military support would be agreed at a regional level.

“York’s local testing plans are progressing and we are not anticipating any problems with having these approved,” she said.

“We do not have a timescale to share at the moment but will communicate it once we do.”

The Press reported last week that the council had decided to ask the Government for mass coronavirus testing of residents, which could see new test centres set up across the city and people without symptoms offered a test.

Sharon Stoltz, director of public health, said then that once the request was submitted, the system could be set up quickly. She said: “We should hear back within a week or so.

"The turnaround is quite quick.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously urged York to press ahead with testing.

Liverpool launched the UK’s first mass testing trial.