The Government has published the new rules for Covid-19 testing, including who will still be able to access free lateral flow tests.
From Friday 1 April, the vast majority of people will need to pay for boxes of lateral flow tests as part of the ‘living with Covid’ plans.
Free PCR tests for those with symptoms will also be scrapped this week for almost everyone.
The official guidance will change to encourage people who have a high temperature or any other respiratory infection symptoms to ‘try stay at home and avoid contact with other people’.
Those who will still be eligible for free lateral flow testing will mostly be those who work in high-risk settings where ‘infection can spread rapidly’.
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Patient-facing staff who work in the NHS or NHS-commissioned providers, in hospices, in adult social care services (such as care homes), in some prisons and places of detention, in high-risk domestic abuse refuges, and in homeless settings can continue to access asymptomatic lateral flow testing.
Meanwhile PCR tests will be provided to patients in hospital where it’s required for their care, for people who are at higher risk of serious illness with Covid and are eligible for treatments, and for people living or working in some high-risk settings.
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The updated guidance states: “Although COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations have risen in recent weeks, over 55% of those in hospital that have tested positive are not there with COVID-19 as their primary diagnosis.”
It also stressed the huge cost of testing – some £15.7 billion in 2021-22.
The latest information continues: “Thanks to the success of the vaccination programme and access to antivirals, alongside natural immunity and increased scientific and public understanding about how to manage risk, the population now has much stronger protection against COVID-19 than at any other point in the pandemic.
“This is enabling the country to begin to manage the virus like other respiratory infections.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Thanks to our plan to tackle Covid we are leading the way in learning to live with the virus. We have made enormous progress but will keep the ability to respond to future threats including potential variants.
“Vaccines remain our best defence and we are now offering spring boosters to the elderly, care home residents and the most vulnerable – please come forward to protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Featured image: Unsplash, Annie Spratt
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Entire tram line suspended due to overhead line damage at Old Trafford
Daisy Jackson
Metrolink trams along the Altrincham line have been suspended due to damage to an overhead line near Old Trafford.
The damage, caused by a third party, has caused significant disruption for commuters across the Greater Manchester region this afternoon.
No Metrolink tram services are operating between Altrincham and Piccadilly, in either direction.
Large queues are already forming for buses at Piccadilly Gardens as people attempt to get home.
Engineers have arrived on site to try and fix the issue, but ‘significant disruption’ is expected to continue into the evening.
TfGM and Metrolink have also deployed staff to assist people with their journeys at all stops in the city centre as well as at Old Trafford, Trafford Bar, and Cornbrook.
Trams between Bury and Deansgate-Castlefield are unaffected.
Ticket acceptance is in place on the 245, 255, 256, 263, 281 and 285 bus services and on Northern Rail services between Altrincham and the city centre. Simply show the driver your Metrolink ticket or pass when boarding.
You can plan the rest of your journey online using the TfGM journey planner here.
Pubs can extend their opening hours if England make it to the Euro 2024 semi-finals
Emily Sergeant
Pubs are to be permitted to extend their opening hours if England make it through to the semi-finals of EURO 2024 this summer.
With the Premier League, and the English and Scottish football leagues, all drawing to a close over the next couple of weeks, our nations are already looking ahead to what is gearing up to be a massive summer of sport – with both the UEFA EURO 2024, and the 2024 Olympics coming up before August is out.
And now, it’s been revealed by Home Secretary James Cleverly that if either England or Scotland’s mens national football teams make it to the semi-final of European football’s flagship tournament, then pubs will be allowed to stay open for longer.
But, there’s a bit of a catch… because isn’t there always?
The Government has said that venues will be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours on match days if either or both teams reach the last four or the final of the competition, but this only applies to pubs that already have a license to open until 11pm anyway.
The move to extend opening hours comes after a consultation at the end of last year, and is hoped to provide a boost to the hospitality industry – which has notably been hit hard during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The Home Secretaries in England and Wales, under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003, can make an order relaxing licensing hours to mark occasions of “exceptional national significance”, but the Scottish and Northern Irish Governments have to set their own rules.
“We have listened to the public through our consultation,” explained Home Secretary James Cleverley, “and we will be extending pub licensing hours should England or Scotland reach the semi-finals or final of Euro 2024.”
The EURO 2024 semi-finals are to be held on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 July / Credit: UEFA
Mr Cleverley said the move will “allow friends, families and communities to come together for longer to watch their nation hopefully bring it home”.
This legislation is set to be laid in Parliament today (Wednesday 8 May) to ensure there is enough time for it to be debated and passed before the tournament begins on Friday 14 June, the Government has confirmed.