Free workplace Covid testing now available in Cumbria
Cumbria County Council is offering the county’s businesses free support to run their own COVID-19 testing programme.
The benefits include:
- Protect your workforce, your business and your customers
- Free training, free tests, free ongoing support and backup
- More than 140 Cumbrian businesses already signed up
- Contact ask.LFT@cumbria.gov.uk
Why you should test your workforce
Regular Lateral Flow COVID-19 testing of those without symptoms is a key part of the strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Businesses are being encouraged to start regular rapid-result COVID-19 testing for their workforce. An employee testing programme helps protect your employees, your customers and your business.
How it works
Lateral Flow testing (LFT) is a fast and simple way to test people for COVID-19.
The tests are easy to administer and give results in less than 30 minutes on-site with no need to send to a laboratory. They are designed to be intuitive and require minimal training to use.
Those who test positive can then self-isolate to avoid passing the virus on to colleagues or customers.
Anyone who tests positive is should then get a confirmatory PCR test from one of the national test centres in the county.
Support available from Cumbria County Council
Option 1 – Workplace Testing Offer
We can help you set up your own COVID-19 testing programme on-site on your business premises. You will receive free training, free test kits, free set-up support and ongoing back-up from our dedicated COVID-19 LFT project team.
More than 140 Cumbrian businesses are already taking part.
You will attend a free ‘Train the Trainer’ session, showing you exactly how the testing process works, how to record the results and we will help you to set up your in-house testing site.
We will also support you with competency requirements, webinars, a standard operating procedure, template risk assessments and supply and delivery of PPE and test kits free of charge as per the Department of Health and Social Care terms and conditions.
Please contact the LFT project team to find out more: ask.LFT@cumbria.gov.uk
Option 2 – Community Testing Offer
If you cannot implement an on-site workplace testing programme, regular COVID-19 testing is still available to your employees. Across Cumbria, there are 11 testing sites which are open to any essential workers who cannot work from home and come into regular contact with other people through their job, and who do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
You can find out where the sites are located here.
The tests are free, and no booking is required, but please note the sites are only open at the times stated.
© Cumbria Chamber of Commerce