‘The testing is having a direct impact on the spread of the virus’

Harry Owen, 41, from Twickenham has seen how tests are making life easier for local people

“My wife Naomi is a teacher at a primary school, so we have been used to her getting lateral flow tests every week for some time now.

“I am also a governor at a different school. The response of the school to Covid in general has been to a large degree dependent on the availability of teachers – both for virtual lessons and in this recent lockdown, due to the increases we have seen in pupil attendance. "Lateral flow tests for teachers has ensured that staffing is consistent and significantly better than N the problems that occurred in the autumn. "My daughter Flor-ence, who is 13, now also has regular tests since she returned to school. As a family we now have two people tested regularly. More importantly, this testing tackles community spread and helps by making everyone feel more secure.

“Our community in Twickenham is relatively small – there is significant interaction between parents, teachers, children, siblings – but the testing is having a direct impact on community spread. Daily cases in the entire Borough of Richmond are now into single figures – that was also helped by a testing site in Twickenham stadium, which has been in place since the first wave.

“You get used to the tests and it’s really not that bad. Having had Covid myself in the first lockdown and then having gone on to have four tests for various reasons, I know that after the first one, you aren't so worried. The concern around the first test is much worse than the expe-rience - my daughter was worried, but now she administers the tests herself because it means that she can get into school and see her friends - and hope-fully do some work, too!"