Pregnancy-style coronavirus testing kits could mean quarantining for those who have been in contact with a positive case, will be cut in half.
The kits, which give results in minutes, would be used to identify uninfected contacts and release them from what is currently 14 days of quarantine.
The testing scheme will be trialled on emergency workers in Liverpool next week, who will return to shifts if they test negative, it has been reported.
It will then be rolled out to contacts of Covid-19 cases in the city who have been isolating for at least a week. If successful, it could be used across the UK, although this is not expected to get the green light until next year.