Home testing kits for all in borough
AS Covid-19 restrictions begin to ease, Dudley Council health chiefs are urging borough residents to use home testing kits to protect their loved ones.
Rapid Covid-19 (lateral flow) testing is now available to anyone without coronavirus symptoms and can help to detect and contain asymptomatic cases.
By testing twice weekly, residents can help to reduce the spread of the virus and keep friends, families and the wider community safe.
Free
The easy-to-use kits are free of charge and can be collected from multiple venues, including participating pharmacies and other locations across the borough.
To find their nearest collection venue people can visit the website: https:// maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/
Lateral flow testing has already been widely used by people from households where people work or attend an educational setting. The symptom-free test is and painless; quick and easy throat and nose swab and results are available in 30 minutes.
Residents who have had the vaccine should also take twice-weekly lateral flow tests. All residents should make sure they upload their results to help further monitor cases in the borough.
School
People who have had covid within the last 90 days do not need to use lateral flow tests until 90 days after having the virus, as it could return a positive result. This group should restart the testing process once the 90-day period has elapsed.
All secondary school aged children are expected to test regularly at home.
Anyone who tests positive after taking a symptom-free test must self-isolate immediately and book in for a standard coronavirus test.
Sites
Those who test negative but go on to develop symptoms should book a standard coronavirus test at one of the borough’s four testing sites.
Karen Wright, director of public health at Dudley Council, said:
“Home testing kits have already been made available to workers, parents and carers for some time and I’m pleased we are now going to be able to roll this out to everyone.
“One in three with Covid19 will not show symptoms and I would urge everyone including those who have been vaccinated to play their part by taking a test twice weekly and report their results online.
Protect
“By being able to test at home, it offers people the convenience to do it at a time that suits them best, but people will still be able go to one of the symptom-free testing sites if they prefer.
“Taking a test is very straightforward and it will help us understand the number of cases in Dudley so that we can keep working together to protect our residents, families and friends.”
For more information on symptomfree testing and where home testing kits are available go to www.dudley. gov.uk/symptom-free-testing
For further details on how to book a standard coronavirus test (for those with symptoms) go to www.dudley.gov. uk/coronavirustesting
For other coronavirus information including details on self-isolation go to www.dudley.gov.uk/self-isolation