Boots is set to offer a nasal swab test for £120.
The 12 minute test, which will be available at selected stores, will be made available to UK customers who are not showing covid symptoms, as a way to give people a peace of mind.
The technology has been developed by LumiraDx, which has also struck a deal to provide supplies to the NHS in Scotland.
They are not 100% reliable but trials of the technology suggest that it is accurate enough to identify cases.
The most exciting part of the Lumira test is that it can give results in minutes. The test, due to launch in Boots stores in November, can analyse a nose swab sample on the spot, via a small, portable machine. This means it takes only minutes to see the results.
Anyone who tests positive should then isolate to avoid spreading the infection to others. Additionally, anyone in the UK who thinks they have symptoms should stay at home and contact the NHS to book a Covid test in the usual way.
