Covid-19: Free lateral flows for asymptomatic people to stop
PCR tests for most people will also end
Last updated 24th Mar 2022
Free lateral flow tests for those in Northern Ireland without covid-19 symptoms will end in April, while PCR testing for most symptomatic people will also stop.
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced a number of changes to policy, which will include the closure of publicly accessible Covid testing sites.
However, the Health Minster has insisted that testing will continue to play a vital role in the response to the pandemic over the coming months.
PCR testing will cease for most people with symptoms from 22 April.
Free lateral flow tests will continue to be available to anyone with symptoms, but not for asymptomatic people.
Kits will also continue to be available free of charge to support those living in, working in or visiting a higher risk setting such as a care home until the end of June.
Contact tracing will be phased out between mid-April and the end of June.
The minister said: "The new policy reflects the new realities of the pandemic.
"While the prevalence of the virus remains at a high level, the risk of serious illness has been significantly reduced - thanks in no small measure to our vaccination programme and the use of innovative Covid-19 treatments.
"The risk posed by the virus at the present time does not justify testing and isolating large swathes of the population at the levels that we have seen to date in the past two years.
"Test and trace will continue to have a key role and will be used in a more focused and targeted way to support and protect our most vulnerable.
"This will be kept under very close review and we will have contingency plans in place so that we can scale up should it be required."
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