Monday 8th March 2021
Dear Parents and Carers,
Lateral Flow testing
NHS Test and Trace have announced that from this week, twice weekly testing using lateral flow tests will be extended to full households with primary, secondary and college age children and young people including childcare and support bubbles in order to identify asymptomatic cases and break the chains of transmission.
Children of primary school age (and below) without symptoms are not being asked to take a test. Testing is voluntary, but strongly recommended to all who are eligible.
Tests are fast, easy and free. There are different ways for a household, childcare or support bubble to collect their test to take at home, twice-weekly:
● Through your employer if they offer testing to employees
● At a local test site
● By collecting a home test from a test site
● By ordering a home test kit online
Get a test through your employer
As the scheme has been extended, your workplace may offer rapid lateral flow testing to you. Contact your employer for more details.
Take a test at a rapid lateral flow test site You can take a rapid lateral flow test at a local site. Testing at these sites is assisted, which means you will swab yourself under the supervision of a trained operator. You may need to book an appointment.
Find your nearest rapid lateral flow test site.
Collect Test Kits
You can collect 2 packs of home test kits at a local collection point. Each pack contains 7 tests. Anyone 18 or over can collect. Most collection points are open from 1.30pm to 7pm. You can check online if the location is open or busy before you go. You do not need to make an appointment. Do not visit a collection point outside opening hours, as it may be used to test people with coronavirus symptoms outside these times.
Find your nearest home test kit collection point.
Order home test kits online
If you cannot get tested at your workplace, or are unable to go to a test site or collect test kits, you can order a home test kit online. Do not order online if you can get a test through other methods. This frees up home delivery for those who need it most.
Order rapid lateral flow home test kits
What twice-weekly testing involves
If you decide to engage with the testing programme, you will be asked to take a test twice a week (every 3 or 4 days apart) and report every result to NHS Test and Trace on the same day you take the test here: Report your test result online or by calling 119.
If anyone tests positive or gets coronavirus symptoms, they should tell the school, self-isolate immediately, get a PCR test to confirm the result and follow the stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.
A negative result means the test did not find signs of coronavirus. But this does not guarantee you do not have coronavirus, so you should keep following the coronavirus advice.
Alongside the vaccine, washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. Getting into the habit of regular testing as part of our everyday lives will help us all to play our part and do what we can to protect each other.
If you have any questions, please contact the school office or email mail@mead.havering.sch.uk.
Take care and stay safe.
Mr Denchfield
Executive Headteacher
