Rejected petition Test all the front line NHS workers for COVID-19 not only the symptomatic ones

Rejected on 18 May 2020

We need Government to provide enough of tests to check all the front line NHS workers on regular fortnightly basis in their workplaces

At the moment new testing scheme is only available to NHS workers presenting with COVID -19 symptoms. However its well known that many people will have mild symptoms or no symptoms whatsoever and still unknowingly be spreading the virus to patients and other colleagues.
That’s why it’s important to test all frontline workers so that the asymptomatic ones can be identified and isolated to stop spread of the disease.
Healthcare workers should be tested in their workplaces not remote locations difficult to get to in current transport and social distancing restrictions.
Lastly tests should be performed regularly on weekly or fortnightly basis to continuously be able to isolate the infected workers.

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

You are more likely to get action on this issue if you sign and share a single petition.

You may wish to sign this petition calling for the same action: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/304005

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.