This McDonalds will now offer drive-thru coronavirus testing

A McDonald's drive-thru in Leicester, England, is set to re-open as a coronavirus testing centre.

Following the closure of its shops in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the branch has now announced that it will reopen in order to test NHS workers for Covid-19.

The Sun reports than the premises has been handed over to DHU Healthcare, a private healthcare company.

It is unclear whether McDonald's will be profiting from this new arrangement, and DHU describes itself as a "not for profit community interest company".

A spokesperson for the fast food chain told The Sun:

Exactly a month ago, McDonald’s across the UK closed for the first time ever as a precautionary measure due to Covid-19.​

Despite restaurants remaining closed, employees and franchisees have continued serving their local communities and supporting national organisations, helping those that need it the most.

In addition, this week McDonald’s handed over use of its Meridian Business Park Drive Thru in Leicester for use by DHU Healthcare for COVID-19 testing for NHS workers.

The company has donated more than 300 tonnes of food and 100,000 litres of milk to key workers and vulnerable people through food banks, across 1,900 towns and cities in the UK.

The announcement comes after McDonald's stated that it was to consider re-opening for delivery and drive-thru sometime in mid-May.

The Department of Health has identified 69 NHS workers who have died of coronavirus amid shortages of PPE.