A drive-thru coronavirus testing centre has opened at Watford General Hospital for staff and members of their household.

Part of the hospital car park is now being used as a place for people to be tested for Covid-19.

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Two white tents have been put up in the car park, which has been split into two lanes. And workers wearing PPE are on hand to take a swab.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust says staff, who are either symptomatic of Covid-19, or members of their household who are symptomatic, are eligible to be tested.

Watford Observer:

The hospital trust says it currently has a number of staff self-isolating, so this testing centre is vital to finding out whether they have got coronavirus.

If they and people they live with test negative, the staff member should be able to return to work.

The trust has told members of staff who are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or who have a household member showing symptoms not to come into work.

The test does not have to take place at the hospital drive-thru. It can take place at home or at an alternative testing location.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, as of 9am today (Wednesday), 559,935 coronavirus tests have concluded across the UK, with 22,814 tests on April 21.

411,192 people have been tested of which 133,495 tested positive.

Watford Observer:

Staff can be seen dressed in PPE ready to take swabs from suspected Covid-19 hospital staff

As of 5pm on April 21, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 18,100 patients have died.

NHS England figures released today confirmed a further nine deaths at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust linked to Covid-19.

It takes the number of deaths of patients at the trust who tested positive for coronavirus to 186.