England to scrap free lateral flow tests for most people from Friday April 1

Free lateral flow tests to be scrapped from this Friday, April 1 in England, except for frontline health and care home staff

Ministers announced tonight, Tuesday, March 29, that from this Friday, April 1, free lateral flow tests are to be scrapped in England. The Department of Health said that exact details informing who will be eligible for these tests will be laid out on Friday.

This action is coming into force as part of the final phase of the Government’s ‘living with Covid’ strategy. It is believed though that during ‘periods of high prevalence’, care home staff and NHS workers will still get free tests. Vulnerable patients with underlying health conditions will most likely also be eligible.

The same will probably apply to anybody symptomatic considered to be in ‘high-risk’ categories, such as staff in homeless shelters, or prison officers. Tests on arrival will no longer be required by anybody visiting hospitals or care homes.

Members of the public believing themselves to be symptomatic will be advised from Friday to self-isolate until they are feeling better.

‘Thanks to our plan to tackle Covid we are leading the way in learning to live with the virus”, said Health Secretary Sajid Javid. ‘We have made enormous progress but will keep the ability to respond to future threats including potential variants”.

Adding, ‘Vaccines remain our best defence, and we are now offering spring boosters to the elderly, care home residents, and the most vulnerable. Please come forward to protect yourself, your family, and your community’, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

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