- The council is now encouraging all employees to do a twice-weekly COVID-19 self-tests.
- Home test kits are available to pick up from a range of council offices and services from today (tests are also available via other routes, see below)
- Testing is voluntary. Staff should inform their manager if they test positive.
Lateral Flow Testing is a key part of the national strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as lockdown restrictions ease. Lateral Flow tests are for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. The test helps identify people who have the virus and are infectious but don’t know it.
This month Government expanded the test programme so that everyone in England is now being offered two free lateral flow tests per week.
The council is encouraging all employees to regularly self-test and is now making test kits available to all staff for collection from council workplaces. This is in addition to a range of other ways of accessing test kits.
Testing is voluntary.
The Government and County Council position remains the same: if you can work from home, you should continue to do so.
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Home Delivery
Lateral Flow Test kits can be sent directly to your home. One box containing 7 tests will be provided per order.
Pharmacy Collection Points
All pharmacies across the county have home testing kits available for collection. Two boxes each containing 7 tests can be collected at any one time.
Community Lateral Flow Testing and Collection Points
There are 12 Lateral Flow Test and Collection sites across the county set up with fully trained staff to facilitate on site Lateral Flow testing while you are there and also help show you how to test and hand out Lateral Flow Home kits to take away.
PCR Testing Collection Points
PCR testing sites are open in the afternoons, usually 2.30pm-8pm.
From a Cumbria County Council Workplace
Home testing kits will be available for collection Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm, from the following Council buildings:
- Parkhouse, Carlisle – Reception area
- Cumbria House, Carlisle – Reception area
- Craven House, Barrow – Reception area
- County Offices, Kendal – Reception area
- West Cumbria House, Workington – First Floor, Business Resource Area
- Bridge Mills, Kendal – CCC office
- Eamont building, Skirsgill – Entrance area
Two boxes each containing 7 tests can be collected at any one time.
In addition, Lateral Flow Test kits for home use will also be made available for staff to collect from service delivery points for the following services
- Residential Care
- Supported Living
- Day Services
- Cumbria Outdoors
- Windermere Ferry
- Reablement
- Community Learning
- Fire & Rescue Service Stations
- Highways Depots
- Main Libraries in each of the districts
How does the lateral flow home testing work?
Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 carry the virus but do not have symptoms.
Rapid lateral flow tests help to find cases in people who may have no symptoms but are still infectious and can give the virus to others.
The test involves taking a swab sample from the back of your throat and from your nose. A result will be available in 30 minutes.
The test kit pack contains all of the information you will need to take the test. The results must be registered to the national NHS system which is secure and confidential. There is additional information and help available via:
How often should I test and What do I do with the results?
Testing is voluntary with the following encouraged:-
- take a rapid lateral flow test twice per week
- report the results the day you take the test
If a test result is positive
If you or anyone in your household tests positive, everyone in the household must:
You do not need to report that you’ve taken a test to anyone in the Council but it is important to inform your manager if you test positive as this will require you to self-isolate and may mean you are unable to work or require support.
If you have any queries, please speak to your manager or email queries to the LFT Project team by emailing ask.LFT@cumbria.gov.uk
Help and support
Not t sure what help and support is available if you test positive for Covid-19?
You can also call the county council's Support Helpline on 0800 783 1966 (Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4.30pm). Our supportive staff will talk to you and suggest ways to help.
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