Derbyshire County Council public health team will be handing out free COVID-19 lateral flow test kits in several Derbyshire towns over the next 3 days.
The nasal swab kits, designed to be used by people with no symptoms of COVID-19, will help prevent the spread of the virus.
People are encouraged to carry out a test before mixing with friends and family over the festive season to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The kits will also support the daily testing of COVID contacts where someone in a household has a confirmed COVID-19 infection.
This will allow household contacts to test and if negative, leave the house for work or school.
The kits will be handed out at the following places on Wednesday 22, Thursday 23 and Friday 24 December 2021 between 9am and 4.30pm
- Middle Pavements shopping centre, Chesterfield, S40 1PA
- Reception, County Hall, Smedley Street, Matlock, DE4 3AG
- Pavillion Gardens, St Johns Road, Buxton, SK17 6BE
- Bus station car park, Civic Way, Swadlincote
Additional test kits are also available in all libraries throughout Derbyshire and at district and borough council offices, customer service centres and in public facing council tax / housing public offices.
Individuals can collect one free kit each that contains 20 tests and families can collect two kits – giving them 40 tests in total.
Anyone can take a lateral flow test but children aged 11 or under must have an adult to help them.
One in three people with COVID-19 do not have any symptoms so they may be unaware that they have the virus and can spread it to other people.
That’s why it’s so important to keep testing and self-isolating if you test positive for COVID-19.
If your lateral flow test result is positive then you will need to take a PCR test to confirm that you have COVID-19.
If the PCR test confirms that you have the virus then you will need to self-isolate for ten days from the date you took the PCR test.
You must inform anyone that you have been in close contact with that you have COVID-19 so that they can take the necessary steps to test themselves.
If you live with, or have been in contact with, someone with COVID-19 you will not need to self-isolate if any of the following apply:
- you’re fully vaccinated – this means 14 days have passed since your final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine
- You participate in daily testing
You can help keep yourself and your loved ones safe by getting the COVID-19 vaccinations and booster and by following the latest guidance and prevention measures including working from home where possible, regular testing and wearing a face covering where required, unless you’re exempt.
