08 September 2021
All Islanders aged 12 and above, who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, will now be offered lateral flow test (LFT) kits to take home.
The LFT kits will enable 10 days of voluntary self-testing while continuing to follow the direct contact advice. Household direct contacts and people in critical services have been receiving kits for several weeks, but this change means all direct contacts will be offered the kits when attending the initial PCR test at the harbour drive-through.
Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat, said: "These tests are designed for rapid results and are simple enough to be done at home. Lateral flow tests can quickly identify COVID-19 infections, especially if an individual is highly infectious. The tests are proving particularly efficient at detecting the delta variant.
"By offering all direct contacts these tests, we can ensure that the virus remains more manageable within our Island community. I encourage all direct contacts to keep testing themselves daily to help keep Islanders safe."
LFT kits will give results between 20 and 30 minutes, Islanders will then be able to register and submit their results via an online portal. More information on how to take the tests and read the results can be found here.
If an LFT shows a positive result, the individual must immediately isolate and call the helpline to book a further PCR test. Islanders that are showing symptoms of COVID-19 are reminded to stop using the LFT kits and book a PCR test using the online form or calling the helpline on 0800 735 5566.
gov.je