Friday 15 October 2021
Packs of 25 Lateral Flow Test (LFT) kits will be made available to all Islanders from Monday (18th October).
The use of these kits will help us slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, particularly over the winter months. During this time we are more likely to be indoors, in crowded places or attending parties, and potentially coming into contact with positive cases.
Islanders are being advised to consider using these kits:
- To regularly test themselves to check if they have the virus - it is recommended they take two tests per week, every week.
- If they are asked to do so by the Contract Tracing Team as they have been identified as a contact of a case;
- Before visiting a vulnerable person, for example someone living in a Care and Residential Home;
- Before attending an event or meeting in a crowded or poorly ventilated place;
- If asked to do so by Public Health Services.
Anyone experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms must still stay at home and report those symptoms to the Clinical Helpline. The Clinical Helpline will advise on further testing. Islanders should NOT use LFTs as an alternative to getting clinical advice.
If you have had a positive result from an LFT then you need to phone the Clinical Helpline on 220001 or 220002 straight away to book in for a PCR test. You need to stay at home until you have the result of this test. If the LFT is for a child, please notify the child's school or childcare setting. Other people in your household do not need to stay home at this stage.
If your PCR test is negative you can return to your normal activities but, if you feel unwell, Public Health recommend that you stay at home .
If your PCR test confirms you are positive for COVID-19 you will need to continue to isolate and you will be contacted by Public Health Services.
Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health said:
"This provides us with a further useful tool for managing COVID-19 and will help us prevent the virus spreading, particularly to vulnerable people or in settings where it could spread very widely. This also allows us to provide any support that is needed to the person with diagnosed with COVID-19 as soon as possible, as well as ensuring that the Contact Tracers can start working promptly to break the chains of transmission of the virus. It is really important that anyone with a positive LFT telephones the Clinical Helpline to arrange for a confirmatory PCR test."
Director of the COVID-19 Response, Richard Evans said:
"Lateral flow tests are one of the tools we use for managing COVID-19, something Islanders have done incredibly well in recent months, and so offering them to all Islanders so they have a supply at hand makes good sense. This is so important as we move forward to living responsibly with COVID-19."
The Lateral Flow Test kits will be available for an initial two-week period from the COVID-19 tent at the end of the Crown Pier in St Peter Port, every day except Wednesdays and Sundays, at the following times:
Date | Opening times | Date | Opening times |
Monday 18th October | 9:00-17:30 | Monday 25th October | 9:00-17:30 |
Tuesday 19th October | 9:00-17:30 | Tuesday 26th October | 9:00-17:30 |
Thursday 21st October | 9:00-17:30 | Thursday 28th October | 9:00-17:30 |
Friday 22nd October | 9:00-14:00 | Friday 29th October | 9:00-14:00 |
Saturday 23rd October | 10:00 - 14:00 | Saturday 30th October | 10:00-14:00 |
Parking will be available for people attending to collect LFT packs. Islanders are asked to take no more packs than they need, and the States will continue to provide these as long as supplies are available.
Anyone not able to collect a pack in person can ask a friend or family member to collect one for them. If this is also not possible, they can contact lateralflowqueries@gov.gg or call the non-clinical helpline on 01481 717118 to arrange a delivery.
Anyone attending the Community Vaccination Centre at Beau Sejour for a vaccine will also be able to collect a free pack when doing so.
The States is also discussing other ways of distributing the packs to all sections of the community and has begun to engage third sector organisations about supporting this initiative.
The Lateral Flow Test kits will also be available in Alderney, Sark and Herm at the following locations and times:
Alderney:
Harbour (next to the Harbour showers) - from Monday through to Sunday between 9:00-10:30 and 13:30-14:30.
Sark:
The Government of Sark, Committee Office - from Monday through to Friday from 11:00-15:00.
Herm:
Main Harbour Office - from Monday through to Sunday between 9:00-17:00.
