As restrictions start to ease the Council is encouraging people who are going out to work to get tested regularly to further reduce the risk of infection in Rotherham.
While many businesses where staff are able to work from home are being encouraged to continue remote working, those where staff are required to work on site – such as in manufacturing, retail, and hospitality – are being offered workplace testing.
Businesses who are already open or are expecting to reopen in April or May are being offered the opportunity to test their workers if they are asymptomatic – or do not have symptoms of COVID-19 – through the Lateral Flow Testing offer.
There are two ways that businesses can access asymptomatic testing:
- Businesses have until 31 March 2021 apply for workplace testing kits for those who are not able to work from home
- Workers from small businesses can book into the Test Centre at Riverside House for twice weekly testing
Residents who have children attending primary or secondary school or college, or work in an education setting, will also be able to get rapid tests through the free school testing scheme.
Further information about testing for schools
The Council is also offering support to businesses to help with setting up their testing.
Rotherham’s Director of Public Health, Ben Anderson, said: “Businesses have already gone above and beyond to put into place COVID-secure measures that keep their workers, customers, and visitors safe. The Rapid Testing offer supplements this work and means that we can stop the virus spreading by identifying people who are asymptomatic and supporting them to isolate thereby reducing transmission.
“I’m encouraging businesses across Rotherham to take up the testing scheme as soon as they can – even if they are not due to reopen until April or May.”
Further information about testing for businesses
The Government will be releasing further information about Workplace Testing, including about Workplace Collect. Keep up to date at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.