Management Information Sheet

In preparation for the imminent wider return of children and students to education settings, we have detailed some further guidance about testing that you have suggested to us would be helpful.

1. Rapid lateral flow testing for households of school pupils and staff
2. Asymptomatic Testing in education settings - managing a positive case
3. Lateral Flow Device Testing Waste

1. Rapid lateral flow testing for households of school pupils and staff

The Rapid lateral flow testing for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff guidance relates to asymptomatic testing for households of school pupils and staff. This testing is not administered by education settings. Education settings have a separate programme of asymptomatic testing for pupils, students and staff.

This guidance and the separate asymptomatic testing undertaken in education settings, is for people who do not have symptoms of coronavirus. If you have symptoms of coronavirus you should order a test online or call 119.

Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and pupils can get a twice-weekly test:

• through your employer if they offer testing to employees
• at a local test site
• by collecting a home test kit from a test site
• by ordering a home test kit online

The guidance contains information for households on how to access this type of testing. Where collection or test sites are referenced in the guidance, links are provided to details of the opening times and locations. These centres provide a simple drop-in service and there is no need to book.

Families can be signposted this guidance which may evolve as the project develops. Please note this guidance should not place any additional responsibilities for testing on educational settings.

If anyone in the household tests positive or gets coronavirus symptoms, they should tell the appropriate education setting(s):

• self-isolate immediately
• get a PCR test to confirm the result (following an LFD test at home)
• follow the stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection

This may result in pupils, who are not part of the schools testing programme isolating as a close contact of a household member as per the stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.

There is a letter to parents from Chris Snudden and Dr Louise Smith, which you may find helpful to use as part of your communications with schools. This can be found in the school resources for pupils returning.

2. Asymptomatic Testing in education settings - managing a positive case.

Individuals who test positive during Asymptomatic testing at an education setting's Asymptomatic Testing Site (ATS) should follow the same rules as those that develop symptoms while on site. They should be asked to go home immediately and you should start the process of identifying close contacts for isolation.

If the person is not able to leave site immediately, they should wait in the area you have put aside for symptomatic people to wait. Full details of the requirements for this area and how to deal with a positive case are provided in the Management of Cases Guidance.

3. Lateral Flow Device Testing Waste

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have updated their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that are sent to those undertaking lateral flow device (LFD) testing. It clarifies that wastes arising from Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing being undertaken as an additional function to normal business, such as at a school or workplace that is not a registered healthcare facility and not a dedicated site for the purpose of the Test & Trace programme, are not considered to be healthcare wastes. As a result, these LFD wastes can, in agreement with your waste contractors, be managed alongside other wastes arising at that location, i.e. residual ('black bag') wastes.