Covidd-19 Update to Guidance

COVID-19 UPDATE TO NATIONAL GUIDANCE

TRAVELLING TO ENGLAND
From 4am on 7 January you do not need to take a PCR test before you travel to England or self-isolate when you arrive. Take a rapid lateral flow test on or before day 2 after you arrive and if it’s positive you must take a PCR test.

POSITIVE LATERAL FLOW DEVICE (LFD) TESTS
From 11 January in England, people who receive positive lateral flow device (LFD) test results for coronavirus (COVID-19) will be required to self-isolate immediately and won’t be required to take a confirmatory PCR test. This is a temporary measure while COVID-19 rates remain high across the UK.

Order LFD tests here:
https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

Under this new approach, anyone who receives a positive LFD test result should report their result here: https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result and must self-isolate immediately but will not need to take a follow-up PCR test. After reporting a positive LFD test result, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace so that their contacts can be traced and must continue to self-isolate.

Further information can be found in the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/confirmatory-pcr-tests-to-be-temporarily-suspended-for-positive-lateral-flow-test-results

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS STILL ORDER A PCR TEST
It remains important that anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolates immediately. They should also order a PCR test by clicking the following link: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by phoning 119.

REDUCED SELF-ISOLATION TIMES
In line with the reduced self-isolation approach announced on 22 December, anyone who tests positive will be able to leave self-isolation 7 days after the date of their initial positive test if they receive 2 negative LFD results, 24 hours apart, on days 6 and 7. If you take these LFD tests early in the morning on both days, and both are negative, you can leave self-isolation on day 7 and not wait until day 8.

CHILDREN STILL SHOULD ATTEND SCHOOL
Please be reminded that children should still attend school even if family members have tested positive or have symptoms. Children must only self-isolate if they are showing symptoms or test positive themselves.

VACCINATIONS
Book your vaccinations and boosters here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Mr Skirton