From 11th January, the requirement to undertake a PCR test following a positive LFT for colleagues without symptoms will be temporarily removed.
Clearly this will impact on colleagues. Please read the below guidance to be clear on what you should do.
Assymptomatic cases
From now on, if you you have a positive LFT result but do not have symptoms, you should stay at home and self-isolate. There is no need to get a confirmatory PCR result. Your isolation period starts immediately from the date of your positive LFT. Your isolation period includes the day your test was taken, and the next 10 full days.
You must report your positive LFT result both on gov.uk, and should inform WMP Track and Trace Team at Covid_Testing@westmidlands.police.uk.
However, if you develop COVID-19 symptoms within your isolation period, start a new isolation period from the day your symptoms start.
Symptomatic cases
For colleagues with symptoms of COVID-19, the guidance remains unchanged.
If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, stay at home and self-isolate immediately. Stay at home while you are waiting for a PCR home test kit, a PCR test site appointment or a test result.
Following a positive test result you must self-isolate. Your isolation period starts immediately from when your symptoms started. Your isolation period includes the day your symptoms started and the next 10 full days.
In all cases, you may be able to end your self-isolation period before the end of the 10 full days.
You can take an LFT from 6 days after the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms), and another LFT on the following day.
The second LFT should be taken at least 24 hours later. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation.
You should not take a LFT before the sixth day of your isolation period, and you should only end your self-isolation after you have had 2 consecutive negative LFT which should be taken at least 24 hours apart.
You should stop testing after you have had 2 consecutive negative test results.
You should not take any more LFTs after the 10th day of your isolation period and you may stop self-isolating after this day. This is because you are unlikely to be infectious after the 10th day of your isolation period. Even if you have a positive LFT result on the 10th day of your self-isolation period you should not take any more LFTs after this day.
The Government have also confirmed that they will be rolling out daily lateral flow testing for ‘critical workers’ from 10th January which will include Force Control Rooms. Lateral flow kits will be distributed over the coming days and we will share details with relevant colleagues over the coming days.