All year groups - Update on Lateral Flow Testing (LFT)
28 January 2021
We would like to thank all of the school community, staff, pupils and parents for their continued support with the Lateral Flow Testing. We have now conducted over 800 tests of staff and students who are on site.
The Department for Education released updated guidance in relation to the lateral flow tests yesterday.
The main change is that if a positive lateral flow test is recorded there is now no need for the subject to seek a PCR test. A positive lateral flow test is now deemed to be sufficient to confirm a case of Covid-19.
This enables the person, their household and any close contacts to begin the period of isolation immediately.
The change has been implemented as the results of the lateral flow tests and the PCR tests are broadly comparable and this change reduces the pressures on the NHS testing sites.
We are, as a school, very proud of what we have achieved so far with this testing and with your ongoing support will be able to continue with this testing to identify cases and seek to protect the wider community.
At this time the serial testing for identified close contacts has ceased but we are prepared to reopen this to staff and students if, and when, the advice changes. This does mean that any close contact will need to isolate for ten days.
As always, if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me using vjewell@ccs.northants.sch.uk can I also ask that you notify me of any confirmed cases or isolations so we can ensure our submissions to the DfE remain accurate and up to date.
We would like to confirm that there are still no plans to introduce testing into primary schools, however, our primary staff are included in our testing programme and are not required to complete the LFT at home.
Thank you again for your support.
Kind regards,
Vikki Jewell
Covid Coordinator, Senior Administrator and PA to the Vice Principals