HAMPSHIRE frontline workers might soon have access to rapid Covid tests as a mass testing programme could be rolled out across the county, it has been revealed.

Rapid lateral flow tests might be available for Hampshire communities as part of an eight-week scheme.

The move would aim to identify asymptomatic people in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

If approved, the programme will be rolled out across the Hampshire County Council patch.

But further details are yet to be revealed.

The news has been confirmed by Simon Bryant, the director of public health at the county council.

Speaking at the meeting of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board held yesterday he said the authority is working up a bid which could be signed off as soon as the end of this week.

He said: “We are really ramping that up. We are working with our colleagues in the districts to enable front facing workers to get a test. It is helpful to prevent the spread of infection.”

Those who will test positive will be asked to self-isolate and take a PCR test.

Close contacts would also need to “take proper action”, said Dr Bryant.

The tests would be available at sites across the county but further details are still being finalised.

“We are working through all those logistics to have what looks like an eight-week programme of community testing for our frontline workers”,Dr Bryant said.

Similar programmes have already been rolled out across other cities such as Liverpool.

The news comes as Dr Bryant said the rates of infections across Hampshire have started to go down but “not as fast as they went up”.

He said to be concerned about the number of Hampshire hospital patients currently on mechanical ventilation.

Talking to councillors, he stressed the need for people to continue to follow the rules, even after they got vaccinated.

It comes as four mass vaccination centres will be set up in Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke and the Isle of Wight by the beginning of February.

GPs will contact patients when it is their turn for the vaccine.

Earlier this week county bosses also confirmed that the temporary mortuary in Basingstoke will become operational today.

They said the move was “necessary” and will “ensure additional capacity is immediately available, to ease current and anticipated pressures within the sector”.

The site will support the four major NHS hospital mortuaries in Hampshire, as well as local funeral directors, by providing temporary additional accommodation of hospital and community deaths.