Parents of nursery, school and college-age children in North and East Cornwall will be able to pick up free Covid-19 testing kits from sites in Bude and Launceston from this week.
The aim is to ensure all adults who live in households with children can test themselves with rapid-result Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) twice a week if possible.
As many as one in three people who catch the virus display no symptoms meaning they go about their daily lives unaware they are spreading it around.
Results for LFD tests are typically available within an hour so anyone who tests positive can self-isolate immediately.
This means Covid will have far fewer opportunities to sneak into workplaces and schools, keeping our communities as safe as possible.
New collection points are now available at:
• Bude (Stratton Business Park) every Thursday, 9am-3pm, from March 25.
• Launceston (Cattle Market short stay car park) every Monday, 9am-3pm, from March 29.
Other collection points in Cornwall are available at Liskeard, Bodmin, Truro, Falmouth, Camborne (Heartlands) and Penzance. To find your nearest, check out the map here – https://find-covid-19-rapid-test-sites.maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/
Adults over 18 years of age can pick up a maximum of two kits each per visit for their own use. Other adults in the household must pick up their own kits.
Instructions on how to use the tests and record results are included with the kits.
People should not use these kits to test children. Where appropriate, children will be supplied kits by their schools.
Dr Caroline Court, Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Cornwall Council’s lead on Covid-19 testing, said: “We now have collection points across the whole of Cornwall making it much easier for parents and adults in school bubbles to access this rapid testing, free of charge.
“Asymptomatic testing plays an incredibly important role in preventing the spread of the virus, stopping outbreaks before they can happen, and ultimately protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities.
“I would encourage all households with children at nursery, school or college to make sure they get hold of these tests and use them twice a week if possible.”
Anyone who is unable to visit a collection point can order tests to be delivered to their home at www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.
However, stock is limited and people are encouraged to use the collection sites if possible.
Essential workers who are unable to work from home can also access drive-through LFD testing sites at Camborne, St Austell and Liskeard. To book visit https://getatest.vdt.app/cc
Anyone who tests positive with an LFD at home must self-isolate immediately and arrange to have a further PCR test. To book a test visit www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or call 119.
For more information on Covid-19 and testing in Cornwall visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/coronavirus
