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Guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing in adult care homes

Guidance on regular asymptomatic testing for staff, residents and visiting professionals in adult care homes.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Health Security Agency
Published:
24 March 2021
Last updated:
1 April 2022
Show all updates

  1. Added information regarding new COVID-19 testing in adult social care guidance.

  2. Updated to reflect changes on self-isolation guidance.

  3. Removed information on requirement to take one PCR and 3 lateral flow tests a week.

  4. Added Step-by-step guide to COVID-19 self-testing: SureScreen 25 pack nose-only test.

  5. Updated care homes guidance for staff and visiting professionals on use of LFTs and removal of PCR testing.

  6. Updated to reflect removal of confirmatory PCR after a positive LFT – and updated advice on testing within 90 days of a positive result. Removed 'COVID-19 testing schedule for a suspected or confirmed outbreak in a care home' guidance.

  7. Updated information on what to do in the case of a positive COVID-19 result.

  8. Added 'Testing within 90 days of a positive result' update to care home testing guidance.

  9. Changes to policy when there is one case of COVID-19 in a care home. Change to LFT testing frequency. Change to policy when there are 2 or more cases of COVID-19 in a care home. Change to ending outbreak restrictions, when they can be lifted and ongoing testing after this period.

  10. Updated 'Care home COVID-19 testing guidance for regular and outbreak testing of staff and residents' to reflect changes to self-isolation guidance that came into effect on 16 August 2021.

  11. Updated 'Care home COVID-19 testing guidance for regular and outbreak testing of staff and residents' and 'COVID-19 testing schedule for a suspected or confirmed outbreak in a care home' to reflect that policy for responding to the Delta variant (first identified in India) in care homes has now changed. As has been the case for the Alpha variant (first identified in Kent) cases since May 2021, for outbreaks involving the Delta variant, end of outbreak testing can now be undertaken 14 days (previously 28) after the most recent positive case. All positive cases should be treated as the Delta variant, unless proven otherwise.

  12. Updated 'Care home COVID-19 testing guidance for regular and outbreak testing of staff and residents' to reflect Scotland moving to 119.

  13. Updated to reflect changes to end of outbreak testing and updated instructions on using the multiple upload spreadsheet, which can now be used to report both rapid lateral flow tests and PCR tests.

  14. Added link to the 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care settings' page and 'Testing for professionals visiting care homes' guidance.

  15. First published.

This publication was withdrawn on

Information on testing for staff and residents in care homes is available at COVID-19 testing in adult social care guidance.

Information for professionals visiting care homes is available at Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.

Applies to England

Documents

COVID-19 care home testing guidance for regular and outbreak testing of staff and residents

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Testing for professionals visiting care homes

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Details

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is advising regular asymptomatic testing for adult care home staff, residents, visitors, and visiting professionals in England. This is to identify any positive cases in adult care homes as early as possible to enable people to self-isolate to reduce the spread of infection and minimise outbreaks.

Full guidance on regular asymptomatic testing for staff, residents, and visiting professionals can be found in the guidance documents as well as guidance on testing during an outbreak.

The guidance advises staff to do a daily lateral flow test everyday they are working, before starting work.

Full guidance on testing for care home visitors can be found in the visiting arrangements in care homes guidance.

See the coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care (ASC) settings page for information about each of the specific lateral flow tests, terms and conditions, and the testing privacy notice.

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