Families with school children in South Wiltshire can get twice-weekly coronavirus testing
Tests are available for collection from the Beehive Park & Ride
Last updated 3rd Mar 2021
Households with school-aged children in South Wiltshire can now get coronavirus tests twice a week for the adults.
Families and bubbles of school pupils can collect a rapid lateral flow test from the Salisbury Regional Test Site at the Beehive Park and Ride.
The site is open for collecting the kits from 1pm-7pm seven days a week.
You do not need to book in advance and can pick up 2 packs of home test kits with each pack containing 7 tests.
You can also order lateral flow tests for home delivery.
The kit comes with instructions on how to take the tests and how to report results back to the NHS.
Those who test positive will be asked to take a PCR swab test.
Testing isn't mandatory but families are encouraged to get tested.
Announcing the scheme last week Health Secretary Matt Hancock said;
"Regular testing of households and childcare support bubbles of primary and secondary school children is another tool we are making available to help keep schools safe. We know that 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 don’t have any symptoms, so targeted, regular testing will mean more positive cases are kept out of schools and colleges."
"As we continue to roll out the vaccine, testing offers us a way forward. Sustained and repeated testing for people without symptoms has a critical role to play as sections of society are reopened by driving down transmission rates."
Wiltshire Council has told us:
"Work also continues to explore additional sites or locations where we can look to distribute tests from going forward."
WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?
Upon returning to school, secondary school pupils and college students will be tested twice a week.
Students will be tested initially at their school or college before then using home kit, twice a week. Wiltshire Council stress these kits will be provided by their school.
Pupils must report their result to NHS Test and Trace as soon as the test is completed, either online or by telephone, as set out in the home test kit instructions.
Asymptomatic testing is not being offered to primary aged children.
SCHOOL STAFF
Upon returning to school, teaching and non-teaching staff of primary and secondary schools should take twice-weekly tests using a home test kit provided by their school. This includes permanent, temporary and voluntary school staff.
Staff should contact their school for further details.