Dear Families,
This week, all parents are being advised to obtain Lateral Flow Test kits for asymptomatic testing, as these are now available to all families of school-aged children. This is a government policy and aims to ensure that schools are safe places for all.
Summary of the guidance
From 1st March 2021, if you’re a member of a household, childcare bubble or support bubble of staff or a pupil who work/attend a primary or secondary school you can get a twice-weekly rapid lateral flow test if you are symptom free via the following:
- through your employer if they offer testing to employees
- by booking a test at a local rapid test site (in North Tyneside the test site is at The Riverside Centre, North Shields)
- by collecting a home test kit from a specified collection point (in North Tyneside the collection points are test sites at The Parks, North Shields and Coronation St Car Park, Wallsend opening times 1pm-7pm)
- by ordering a home test kit online
Collecting a home test kit from a collection point
This service is known as the Community Collect Service and it enables individuals:
- To undertake twice-weekly testing based on a model of collecting kits and testing at home.
- Access two packs of 7 rapid lateral flow self-test kits can be collected per individual up to a maximum of 4 packs where justifiable for example for very large or extended families.
- Collect the kits from test sites in North Tyneside located at The Parks Leisure Centre, Terrace Room, Howdon Road, North Shields or Coronation Street Care Park, Wallsend between the hours of 1pm and 7pm (other collection test sites are available and can be found here: COVID Test Finder (test-and-trace.nhs.uk)
- Each individual must register the test and record the results at home, using the NHS website or through the 119 call centre for positive, negative and void results.
- Any individual who undertakes a test at home and reports a positive lateral flow self-test will be directed to undertake a further test to confirm the result by ordering a PCR test online or by booking to attend for a PCR test at a local test site such as The Parks Leisure Centre, Terrace Room, Howdon Road, North Shields or Coronation Street Care Park, Wallsend who offer these tests each morning (but NOT the site at The Riverside Centre as this site only provide rapid testing using lateral flow devices)
- For those individuals who are not able to collect the home test kits can order the kits online for home delivery. Individuals are encouraged not to order online if they can get a test through other methods. This frees up home delivery for those who need it most.
We hope that this is helpful.
Kind regards,
The St Bart's Team