**UPDATE: With effect from Tuesday 11th January 2022 if you test positive with a lateral flow test (and you are non-symptomatic) you must self-isolate immediately. You do not need to do a confirmatory PCR. See here for details. This is a temporary measure while Covid transmissions are high. YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR LATERAL FLOW RESULT – SEE HERE FOR DETAILS.

Karen sent all our staff this email on 17th July 2021

“With …. one in 3 people not showing any symptoms I am writing to strongly encourage anyone who is working outside their home to do a lateral flow test before coming in to any council owned business or going out on visits/inspections etc.

For anyone who hasn’t got access to any tests you can order them for home delivery at https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests – it is a very simple process. Likewise doing the test only takes a few minutes – I do  mine when I get up and the result is ready before I leave the house.

If the result is positive then you will need to self isolate and arrange to do a PCR test to confirm the result**. Even when the result is negative it remains important that you follow all the other control measures put in place for your safety and the safety of others”.

Prior guidance: Everybody should do regular testing – about 1 in 3 people with Coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still infect others.  Rapid lateral flow testing has now been scaled up and is now available to everybody who is non-symptomatic on a twice weekly basis. 

You should not be doing this in work time – it takes only a few minutes and you are encouraged to think of it as similar to brushing your teeth (though hopefully you do this more than twice a week).

Please note this is if you are non-symptomatic or not in a household of symptomatic/positive people only.  If you are symptomatic or live in household or have been ‘in contact with’ symptomatic individuals you should follow different procedures as you will have a different type of test.

Please see this link which explains which type of Coronavirus test you should get.

A lateral flow test is not completely reliable as it will only give a positive reading if you are carrying a high viral load, therefore even if you receive a negative test you must continue with all the usual precautions (Hands, Face, Space) and follow the procedures in the relevant Risk Assessments.  Unless you do a home test you may not find out your test result immediately therefore in the absence of any other reasons to self-isolate you should continue your duties using all current precautions. If you have a positive test you must immediately inform your manager and start your self-isolation. You must also arrange for a confirmatory PCR test**.  You will also need to ensure you have provided further information on your whereabouts through this procedure as soon as you are safely in self-isolation.

MVDC strongly encourages our staff to get into the habit of regular home-testing.

FROM TIME TO TIME YOUR MANAGER MAY REQUEST YOU TO CONDUCT MORE FREQUENT (DAILY) LATERAL FLOW TESTS BEFORE COMING OUT FOR WORK PURPOSES. PLEASE DO SO IF YOU ARE ASKED – FOR EVERYBODY’S SAKE.