2 March 2021, 11:37 am EST By ( Private Coronavirus Tests: How They Work, Where To Get One, and the Cost )
In the past, the NHS has done the bulk of Coronavirus testing in the UK. That is partly because it has had a monopoly and expertise over Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests.
However, while accurate, PCR tests tend to take longer, and to qualify for a free test, you must either be exhibiting symptoms or have been referred for testing by your local council.
Bear in mind that according to the WHO, an infected person should take the test within the first eight days of exhibiting symptoms.