The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the changes will ensure testing continues to focus on those at highest risk, whilst enabling appropriate clinical treatment and supporting the management of outbreaks in high-risk settings.
Symptomatic testing is now advised only for those eligible for Covid-19 treatments and during suspected outbreaks in care homes. Lateral flow devices (LFDs) have proven to be effective, rapid and safe, so lateral flow testing will continue for:
- Anyone who has symptoms and is eligible for Covid-19 treatment
- Some NHS staff with symptoms working on inpatient wards with severely immunosuppressed patients
- Staff with symptoms working in hospices, and
- All patients being discharged from hospitals into care settings.
In the NHS and other care settings, outbreak testing with lateral flow kits will also be done, as well as for some hospital patients with symptoms where testing is needed to inform decisions on issues like ward transfers.
Updated guidance says only the first five people using services in a care home with symptoms of a respiratory infection will be asked to take an LFD test to identify if there is an outbreak of Covid-19, in addition to ongoing testing for symptomatic individuals eligible for Covid-19 treatments. Outbreak measures can be lifted five days after the last suspected or confirmed case.
On a positive note, the UKHSA has said that over the past year Covid-19 testing has been scaled back as the virus’ severity and impact on the NHS has reduced. It added that testing in England can now be further aligned with the approach to other common respiratory infections as a result of the vaccination programme, increased access to therapeutic treatments, and high levels of immunity amongst the population.
The Covid-19 Supplement to the Infection Prevention and Control Resource for Adult Social Care has been updated to reflect the changes to testing policy from 3 April 2023.
It has also been confirmed that with effect from 27 April 2023 the NHS Covid-19 App will close
The app, which alerts close contacts of a positive case and provides the latest health advice about the virus, was launched nationally in September 2020 and proceeded to be downloaded nearly 30 million times in the following 12 months. Current users of the app will be notified of its withdrawal through the app.
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