Free lateral flow test kits to be offered to islanders

lateral flow testImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Islanders can pick up their free lateral flow test kits from the tent at the end of the Crown Pier in St Peter Port, every day except Wednesdays and Sundays

At a glance

  • People in Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney will be able to get free lateral flow tests from Monday.

  • The test kits will be available for an initial two-week period.

  • It is hoped regular testing will help slow the spread of Covid-19.

  • Published

Free lateral flow tests are to be made available to people in Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm.

The packs of 25 tests can be collected from Monday and it is hoped islanders using the tests will help to slow the spread of Covid-19 over the winter months.

People are being asked to test themselves twice a week, before visiting a vulnerable person and before attending an event or meeting.

Director of public health, Dr Nicola Brink said the tests were a "useful tool" for managing Covid-19 and would "help us prevent the virus spreading, particularly to vulnerable people or in settings where it could spread very widely".

She urged anyone with a positive lateral flow test to call the clinical helpline to arrange a PCR test.

More information on how to take the tests and where to pick them up is available on the States of Guernsey website, external.

The free kits will be available for an initial two-week period until 30 October.