Free Rapid Covid-19 Testing for School Children and Households in North Somerset
School-age children and their families/households are encouraged to get rapid covid-19 tests twice a week. Rapid community testing helps to find people who have Covid-19 but may not be showing symptoms, resulting in infected persons isolating and reducing the spread of the virus.
About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms but can still pass on the virus, therefore rapid testing helps to keep infection rates under control and aid in the roadmap out of lockdown. By getting regular tests, cases within schools can be detected and managed, even if no symptoms are present.
[Information correct at time of publishing. For the latest updates on local Covid-19 measures and announcements, view our coronavirus news articles.]Who Can Get Free Rapid Covid-19 Testing?
According to government guidance on twice-weekly testing, those eligible for regular rapid lateral flow testing are:
- Secondary school pupils and college students
- Staff of primary and secondary schools, nurseries and colleges
- Households, childcare and support bubbles of early years children, nursery children, primary and secondary-age pupils and college students
- Households, childcare and support bubbles of staff of nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and colleges
- Anyone who works in an occupation related to a childcare provider, school, nursery or college, and their household, childcare and support bubbles.
How to Get A Rapid Lateral Flow Test?
Depending on the education setting and child age, the method of testing may vary. For example, the first three tests for secondary school students and college students must be conducted on site under the supervision of a trained operator, then home test kits can be used afterwards.
Staff of schools, nurseries or colleges should use home testing kits. Members of households, childcare bubbles of an early years child, pupils, student or staff of a school, nursery of college, can get twice weekly tests: through employers, at local testing sites, by collecting a home test kit, or by ordering a home test kit.
What Does Twice-Weekly Testing Involve?
Rapid tests should be conducted twice a week, every three or four days apart. Each test result should be reported to NHS Test and Trace on the same day as the test was taken.
If a test is positive or someone in your household or bubble has symptoms, a self-isolation period begins. Pupils, students and staff should tell their school or college if they test positive.
Rapid Covid-19 Test Sites
Free rapid covid-19 testing for those without symptoms is available to people who live or work in Nailsea at Scotch Horn Leisure Centre. Other North Somerset rapid testing sites are Somerset Hall (Portishead) and Hutton Moore Leisure Centre (Weston-super-Mare). These sites are open seven days a week 8.30am – 5.30pm, with late opening until 7.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Book your free rapid test in North Somerset here.
You must not attend these rapid test sites if you have any symptoms or have been told to isolate. If you or anyone in your household is exhibiting symptoms, you can order a test online via the Gov.UK website.
Collect Rapid Covid-19 Home Test Kits
Those eligible can collect 2 packs of home test kits (each pack contains 7 tests) at a local collection point. You do not need to make an appointment to collect packs.
Test kits can be collected from the above three rapid testing sites listed within their opening hours. Test kits can also be collected from testing centres at Locking Road car park in Weston-super-Mare and Bristol Airport every day between 1pm and 7pm.
If you are unsure, you can find your nearest rapid testing kit collection site online.
Order Rapid Covid-19 Home Test Kits
If you cannot make it to a collection site for whatever reason, you can order home test kits online (1 pack containing 7 tests) for home delivery. They should arrive within two days.