Since schools have re-opened, parents along with primary and secondary school staff members and their support bubbles can access Lateral Flow Coronavirus tests. Families are able to collect up to four home test kits, each kit includes seven lateral flow tests to do at home.
You can collect these kits from
If you can’t make it to a collection point, you can also order the tests online – they expect to take one to two days to arrive.
You’re given clear instructions and tests take about 30 mins from start to receiving the results: meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. A third of individuals with coronavirus have no symptoms, so the idea is this targeted, regular testing will mean more positives cases are found and prevented from entering schools and colleges.
The swabs are taken very much like the “traditional” covid tests. You have a long-stemmed swab, you rub it on your tonsils and then up a nostril. The difference with these “quick” lateral flow tests is that you “process” the results yourself at home, so you get the positive or negative result so much quicker.
With so many individuals with coronavirus showing no symptoms and potentially spreading it without even knowing, the idea is that targeted, regular testing will mean more positive cases within households are found and prevented from entering and spreading around schools and colleges, which in turn helps to keep educational settings safe.
Once you’ve done your test, you are expected to report your results back to the NHS as soon as possible (certainly within 24 hours after a test.)Again, instruction on how to do this are in the kit. Then (oddly enough!) they’ll text you with your result (which you’ve just told them about!) Far from perfect, I know, but these quick Lateral Flow tests should be a massive help in slowing the spread of this awful virus.
For more information please visit the Government website.
