Pupils in Wales asked to take two Covid self tests in week leading up to their first day back

 

Secondary school children in Wales are being asked to take two lateral flow tests during the week leading up to their first day back.

Ahead of the start of the new school year, the Welsh Government is asking families and learners to continue to follow guidance on isolating, testing and vaccination, to minimise the risk of the spread of Covid in education settings.

The Welsh government has said that any staff or learner with symptoms of Covid-19 – however mild – should stay at home and book a PCR test at their closest test site.

Staff in primary schools – and staff and learners in secondary schools and colleges – without symptoms should take two lateral flow tests (LFTs), three days apart during the week leading up to their first day back.

If the test is positive they should self-isolate, and book a PCR test.

Going into the new term, staff in primary schools and staff and learners in secondary schools and colleges not showing symptoms should continue to take regular rapid lateral flow tests twice a week, and report the results online.

Learners Years 7 and above should continue to wear face coverings on school and college transport.

“Taking the tests regularly – especially at times when cases are higher – increases the chance of identifying infectious staff or learners before they leave the house to go to school, and unknowingly spread the virus to their friends or family.

Regular testing will also help reduce transmission in our communities, protect the most vulnerable and reduce disruption to-face-to face education.” The Welsh government has said.

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, said: “Earlier in the summer, I wanted to ensure that at the start of the 2021/22 school year, we could keep learners and staff safe, and lessen the possible disruptions posed by Covid-19.

“By now, all of our workforce will either have received or been offered a vaccine.

We have also offered the vaccine to all of Wales 16 and 17 year olds, and will offer it to clinically vulnerable 12 to 15 year olds.

“This means the risks posed by Covid are much lower – but we still need people to follow some rules, to make sure we don’t risk the level of disruption of day-to-day learning that we saw during the pandemic.”

The Minister added: “I’d like to thank everyone across Wales for their efforts in helping us to get to this point.

And by continuing to follow these measures, we can all look forward to starting a safer and more stable year, in which schools and colleges will be the safest place learners can be.”

Test kits can be obtained from the following places in Flintshire: 

• Flintshire Connects offices Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm
  • Buckley (CH7 2EF)
  • Connah’s Quay (CH5 4HA)
  • Flint (CH6 5BD)
  • Holywell (CH8 7TD)
  • Mold (CH7 1AP)
• Broughton Library (CH4 0QQ): Mon and Wed 9am-1pm and 2pm–5pm / Thurs 2pm–6pm / Fri 2pm – 5pm / Sat 9am – 1pm.
• Buckley Library (CH7 2EF): Mon, Wed and Fri 9am-5pm / Tues and Thurs 9am-6pm / Sat 9am-1pm.
• Connah’s Quay Library (CH5 4HA): Mon and Tues 9am-6pm / Wed, Thurs and Fri 9am-5pm / Saturday 9am-1pm.
• Flint Library (CH6 5AP): Mon, Wed and Fri 9am-5pm / Tues and Thurs 9am-6pm / Sat 9am-1pm
• Holywell Library (CH8 7UZ): Mon, Wed, Thurs and Fri 9am-5pm / Tues 9am-6pm / Sat 9am-1pm.
• Mold Library (CH7 1AP): Mon and Thurs 9am-6pm / Tues, Wed and Fri 9am-5pm / Sat 9am-1pm.
• Mobile Library Service – see here for dates and times of scheduled visits https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/PDFFiles/Covid-19/LFD-Collection-Points/Aura-Mobile-Library-Schedule-by-Area.pdf
• Jade Jones Pavilion Flint (CH6 5ER): Sun 1pm-4pm.
• Saltney – Woodwork to Wellness (CH4 8SE) – Unit 4 Saltney Business Centre – Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.
• Shotton (CH5 1BX) Rivertown United Reformed Church, Chester Road West – Mon / Wed / Fri – 9am – 12.30pm

• Free rapid COVID-19 tests are now available to collect at pharmacies.   Find out if a pharmacy near you is offering this service https://gov.wales/get-rapid-lateral-flow-covid-19-tests-if-you-do-not-have-symptoms