Tameside's public health director has issued advice to residents to help reduce transmission of Covid-19 as free testing comes to an end as part of government plans for living with the virus. 

New guidance on Covid testing takes effect on Friday (1 April) as part of the government's strategy to manage the virus. 

In Tameside, the Darnton Road and Beeley Street PCR testing centres in Ashton and Hyde, along with the mobile testing site at Curzon Ashton, are now closed. 

Pharmacy Collect and the national portal service for ordering free rapid Lateral Flow testing kits (LFTs) are also now closed.  

Residents who wish to continue to use lateral flow tests will be able to purchase kits from local pharmacies.

The updated guidance continues free asymptomatic LFTs to help protect specific groups where infection can spread quickly and prevalence is high. This includes people at risk of serious illness from Covid, NHS and adult social care staff and those in other high risk settings will also continue to receive free testing.

Tameside Council’s Director of Population Health, Debbie Watson, said: "We do still have high case rates in Tameside, and so it is clear the pandemic is far from over. It’s important we all do our best to help keep the most vulnerable safe. The best way you can do this is by getting vaccinated and keeping up with basic methods to reduce transmission.

"As we learn to live with the virus, changes to testing are inevitable. Free testing is crucially still available for those who are vulnerable or in a high-risk setting. Thanks to the success of the mass vaccination programme in the borough, the risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 and catching or spreading COVID-19 is significantly reduced. 

"Ways to reduce risk of transmission are getting vaccinated, letting fresh air in or meeting outside. Also wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where coming into contact with people they do not usually meet and when rates of transmission are high. Stay home if you are unwell, and regularly washing hands and following advice to “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it. Together we can help to keep Tameside safe.”

For those who test positive, the public health advice remains the same. People testing positive for Covid are advised to stay at home and minimise contact with others for five days, which is when they are most infectious.

Updated guidance can be found here. 

Anyone with a high temperature or feeling generally unwell should also try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. This is until they feel well enough to resume normal activities. 

Details about local Covid-19 vaccine clinics can also be found here. 

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