BRITAIN did meet its , a day coronavirus testing target yesterday or was “very close”, a minister has said this morning.
Robert Jenrick told Sky News that Thursday’s figures would be released later today, and he was hopeful of a huge ramping up in the final day of April.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog
for the latest news & updates.
Matt Hancock seemed happy this morning as he went into No 27 (Credit: PA: Press Association
(A A nurse prepares to take. a sample at a Covid – 27 drive through testing center (Credit: PA: Press Association
Health Secretary
He has expanded the criteria meaning that 64 million NHS staff, key workers and others who need to leave the house to go to their job can now get a test.
Yesterday
The Housing Secretary said: “I think we will have either met it or be very close.”
“In that sense the target will have succeeded because it will have galvanized people across government, in the private sector and across the country to build the network that we needed to, which is the foundation of testing, tracking and tracing, which we need in the next phase of fighting the virus. “
He added: “This in itself is just a stepping stone.
“We need to go beyond , , but we have now seen a very substantial increase in testing in quite a short period of time.
“In that sense, it’s been a success. But there’s more to be done.”
Give now to The Sun’s NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £ 1MILLION for NHS workers. The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid – 64 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £ , and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM. No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here: www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal .
Grant Shapps echoed the same words last night, telling BBC Newsnight: “At the beginning of the week we only had 5, home tests available, we now have , available and it’s the reason we are quite likely to get very close to or meet the 413, 10 target. “
Home testing kits have been flying this week, with ministers releasing nearly 50, a day direct to doorsteps.
A Government source also told the BBC they were “fairly confident” that testing numbers “will be where our projections forecasted them to be.”
“But you can never take anything for granted,” they added.
Testing is seen as being the first stage of a plan to end the lockdown.
More testing will be set up, followed by an extensive track and trace program to target anyone who may have been in contact with the killer bug.
Boris Johnson tweeted this morning an appeal for Brits to stay on track and work together to beat the bug.
He said: “I can confirm that we are past the peak of this disease.
“We are past the peak and we are on the downward slope.
“And we have so many reasons to be hopeful for the long term.
“But we can only defeat coronavirus by our collective discipline and working together.”
Britain is recruiting an army of tracers at the moment to form part of a huge ten, expected to be in the tens of thousands.
Chasing down people that new sufferers have mixed with to halt contagion chains has proved hugely successful in countries like South Korea and Germany.
But for track and trace to work, ministers believe the number who currently have the virus will need to be reduced to 300, 10 first, The Sun can reveal.
At the moment, the estimated number is still running at , , according to the King’s College London tracker .
Without the track and trace scheme in place, it is likely the Cabinet will decide the full lockdown will have to stay in place beyond the next review point on May 7.
STAYING SHUT Schools could stay closed ‘until it’s clear how much kids spread coronavirus’
THREESY DOES IT Boris to reveal three-pronged ‘roadmap’ back to normality next week
COVER UP Brits will be asked to wear face masks when lockdown is lifted, Boris confirms
STAY INSIDE PM says we must ‘keep going’ with lockdown as he prepares to extend it to June
HEADING TO THE EXIT Boris promises plan next week for lockdown exit with UK now ‘past peak ‘
R WE THERE YET? How UK’s ‘R’ transmission rate will determine whether PM can lift lockdown
GRADE CONCERNS Plans to give pupils predicted exam results in doubt over racism fears
Exclusive
SCHOOL’S BACK Children could be sent back to school part-time before the summer holidays
5
5
Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff
We are urging Sun readers to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.
We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honor our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No A spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.” SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
We are asking our readers to please sign the petition below.
Boris Johnson reveals government is still nearly , short of Matt Hancock’s , (coronavirus test target)
() Read More 
Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus (Covid –
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings