Coronavirus Testing

From April 2022 people who have compromised immune systems still have access to free LFD testing and Covid-19 treatments such as antiviral drugs.

You will be contacted via phone or email to identify you as part this group. If you haven’t been contacted by mid-April and believe you should be part of this group, contact your GP or hospital consultant. You will be sent LFD tests to keep at home and use in case you have symptoms.

If you run out, you can order more. You will not be asked to prove your health status.

View Information Sheet

There’s still time to get or order free Covid-19 Rapid lateral Flow (LFD) tests but only until the end of this month. Free LFD testing for the general public will end on 1 April 2022. You will be able to order LFD tests for free only until 31 March.

You can still collect a pack of 7 tests for free until 1 April from:

A local pharmacy: find a pharmacy
Online to be sent to your home: order for home delivery
The Community Covid Bus and the Community Covid Hub stall at the Moor Market, stand 81.

View sheffield City Council Website

Update 30 Dec 2021
The COVID19 self-isolation guidance has been updated, including using lateral flow tests to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to 7 days: https://gov.uk/government/news/self-isolation-for-covid-19-cases-reduced-from-10-to-7-days-following-negative-lfd-tests

Accessing Covid Tests
The test booking site is currently very busy. If you struggle to order a Lateral Flow Test or a PCR Test, please be patient and try again later.

If you continue to have problems booking a PCR at a Covid Test Site, try ordering a home test kit to be delivered to your home.

Testing sites are open across the festive period, visit the Government site for more information and to see the opening times for 119
https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term==

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From 16 August people fully vaccinated or under 18 in England will not need to self-isolate after close contact with someone who has COVID-19. You’ll still need to take a PCR test and self-isolate if it’s positive, or if you have symptoms. View GOV.UK

The Sheffield ‘Community Covid Bus’ is out and about visiting lots of different locations across the city and helping people with testing, vaccinations, support and resources. The team are happy to help with any Covid-19 related queries, and can provide information in different languages or accessible formats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_09TS9LAI8Eiew Video.

Everyone in England without symptoms of Coroavirus is able to take a free rapid Coronavirus (COVID-19) test twice a week from 9 April, the government has announced in a press release.

How to Order Coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests
You can only use this service if:

you do not have Coronavirus symptoms
you live in England
you’re 18 or older
you have not been told to self-isolate
you cannot get tests from your work, school, college or university (ask them for rapid lateral flow tests)

You can collect up to 2 packs of 7 tests from a local pharmacy or test site.

Read the guidance here.

How to Get a Coronavirus Test if you have Symptoms
You can get tested at a testing site if you have symptoms of Coronavirus or order a home test kit. Book online or call 119. When you book your Coronavirus test, you’ll get a date and time to attend a specific test centre. Please check the details carefully as if you arrive at the wrong test centre, date or time, you will be turned away.

You can also get tested if you need to go to work, or you live in a household or share a bubble with school children if you are asymptomatic ( i.e.you do not have any symptoms ) This test is often known as a Lateral Flow Device test, LFD test, a rapid result test or a rapid lateral flow test.

If you cannot work from home, you can get tested twice a week or collect home tests kits at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield (EISS), Coleridge Road, Sheffield S9 5DA, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Full details for either kind of testing are on Sheffield City Council’s Website

Please note the rapid LFD tests you can do at home do not replace PCR tests given at Covid test sites. Please do not use LFD tests if you have any Covid symptoms (a high temperature, a cough that won’t stop, or a loss/change in taste/smell). These symptoms should not be ignored under any circumstances, even if they’re mild or you get a negative LFD test at home. If you have symptoms you must self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test online or by calling 119.

Home PCR test kits (the ones you use if you have symptoms) can be collected by courier?.If you are not able to post the test yourself and cannot ask someone to post it for you, you can call 119 to arrange collection within 24 hours.

How long to self isolate and what to do
Guidelines from the NHS .
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

Checklist of things to do if you think you have symptoms
https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19

More detailed information
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Coronavirus Self Isolation Pack
In this pack from Stay/Safe/Sheff you will find information about financial payments you may be able to claim, and other support available to help you self-isolate.
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/dam/sheffield/docs/public-health/coronavirus-community-resources/self-isolation-pack-english.pdf

NHS 111 BSL Service
https://interpreternow.co.uk/nhs111?fbclid=IwAR34B-WnJcS_5TSOsD_Tpw9AnbrVBNjiqTq5BDEAGnUiXg3yhjjCJMIrgGk

Download NHS Covid 19 App
https://covid19.nhs.uk/

Testing and Tracing for Coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/

Alternative Formats for Test and Trace Information
https://coronavirusresources.phe.gov.uk/Test-and-Trace/resources/alternativeresources/

Test and Trace Support Payment
If you are on a low income and will lose income because you are self-isolating you can apply for a payment of £500.
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/your-city-council/coronavirus-hub/support-for-people#supportpayment

You can call Sheffield City Council’s Contact Centre on 0114 2734567 for assistance filling out the form.

Information in Other Formats
Public Health England information in alternative formats
https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101/resources/5080

Information in Other Languages
https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/

Learning Disability and Autism
NHS Easy Read advice to staff supporting people with a learning disability or autistic people
https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/About/COVID-19/Specialty-guides/clinical-guide-for-staff-supporting-patients-with-a-learning-disability-autism-or-both-easy-read.pdf