Testing (COVID-19)

COVID-19 Testing in Adult Social Care

COVID-19: testing from 1 April 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

From 1st April 2024, routine provision of free COVID-19 lateral flow device (LFD) tests for the management of outbreaks in higher risk settings has come to an end in England. However, free polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to determine the cause of an acute respiratory infection outbreak in higher risk settings, where deemed appropriate by a local UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) health protection team (HPT), will remain to test for a wide range of respiratory viruses.

The cohort of people eligible for COVID-19 treatments can still access free COVID-19 LFDs from their local pharmacy. Treatments for COVID-19 – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Routine asymptomatic COVID-19 LFD testing on discharge from hospital into care or hospice settings will also end to align with the approach for other respiratory illnesses.