All adults, young people and secondary school aged children, should be testing twice a week using the rapid Lateral Flow home testing kits. Even if you have had both doses of the vaccine it is important to keep testing for the moment to help experts identify any cases in people who have been vaccinated, although this is rare.

This type of test is very good at identifying people who have lots of the virus, and are infectious on the day, but isn’t as good at finding the virus in people who aren’t infectious yet (i.e. early in the infection). Lateral Flow Antigen testing involves processing a nose and throat swab sample with an LFD.

Tests can be ordered online at https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

You can also pick them up locally at a range of sites across the city and there is more information on the Council website: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50231/coronavirus_covid-19/2308/covid-19_lateral_flow_device_lfd_testing_information/2

Each box contains 7 test kits and instructions on how to take the test are in the boxes. You can report the result by ringing 119 or online at https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result . If you test positive then you and your household must isolate and there is financial and practical support available from the Council if you need help to isolate: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/coronavirus_advice

If you are a business within Colmore Business District and would like to order larger quantities of free testing kits for your business, please contact Chris Brown.

It is important we all play our part in controlling the spread of the virus. Regular testing, alongside hands, face, space, ventilate and vaccination, is essential to help us keep on track to returning to normal.