Care home visitors no longer need to test, but staff and residents will still get free Covid tests

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced that all care home visitors, apart from those giving personal care, will no longer have to test for Covid and tests will continue to be free for staff and residents, according to the government’s ‘Living with Covid’ guidance.

Free testing for the public ended on 1 April but all those living and working in ‘high risk settings’ such as care home, hospices and home care organisations will still receive free lateral flow testing.

Free testing needed for visitors ‘to safely visit’ residents

The majority of visitors to adult social care settings including care homes will not be required to take a test according to the new guidance.

Only the ‘small number of care home visitors who provide personal care’, known as essential caregivers, still need to test. They will be able to get free tests but will not need to test more than twice a week.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said the government has “forgotten” that visitors to care homes need testing so they can “safely visit their relatives”.

He said: “This must be funded by the government.”

A high street chemist has revealed it will charge £17 for a pack of four lateral flow tests.

Read the full story at homecare.co.uk