How to get regular COVID-19 testing to make your business a safer workplace
Take advantage of free regular rapid workplace testing until June by registering your business before 12 April 2021.
As we move towards the 12th of April and the first easing of restrictions, we look forward to taking these next steps to get life moving. To create safe working environments that will help stop the spread of the virus, there are a few actions business owners can take ahead of reopening.
At the time of writing, over 30 million people in the UK have received their first vaccination, which shows huge progress already. While more people are getting vaccinated every day, workplace testing is an efficient step business owners can take now to reduce the spread of the virus.
To get free testing until the end of June, register your business before 12 April, on the dedicated gov.uk online portal.
Free testing is available for all businesses including those that aren’t open yet.
Odyssey Systems, based in Stockton-on-Tees, are one of the many businesses already signed up to delivering regular rapid workplace testing. As a relatively small company of around 28 staff that carries out business-critical services across the North East and Yorkshire, this programme makes a huge difference.
“Our staff work remotely whenever possible, but several roles require a presence in the office or, in the case of installing equipment or delivering remote working solutions, our engineers must attend a client’s premises. The lateral flow tests offer peace of mind to employees and engineers required to visit clients’ premises, and being able to access these tests for free will make a huge difference to our business”, Andrew Middlemiss, Finance Director at Odyssey Systems.
The critical role of regular rapid workplace testing
Testing will make your business more resilient, as it allows you to catch cases early before they spread and impact your workforce’s health and well-being.
Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms or don’t realise they’re infected and are therefore unlikely to get tested or self-isolate. This means they can spread the virus around workplaces without knowing it. Regular testing is already drastically reducing the number of those cases. So far, rapid tests have identified over 92,000 asymptomatic positive cases, who otherwise would have spread the virus.
How regular rapid workplace testing work?
Rapid Covid-19 tests are easy and fast for workers to do, with results coming back in around 30 minutes.
Businesses can set up on-site workplace testing, offer tests for workers to take home or a combination of the two. Tests will be sent to businesses at no cost, making testing even more accessible.
You can learn about offering workplace testing and ordering free tests on the dedicated gov.uk online portal. If your business registers by 12 April and is eligible, you will receive free tests until the end of June.
Signing up your business for regular rapid workplace testing means your employees can get tested at least twice a week. By joining this programme, you will help stop the spread, keeping your family, friends, colleagues, and business safe.
Who is eligible?
A major effort across the private and public sectors has already resulted in over 60,000 organisations in England showing interest.
- All businesses with employees in England who can’t work from home can sign up for rapid workplace testing, including those still closed due to lockdown. You’ll need to register by 12 April here to get free tests until the end of June.
- Businesses registered in Scotland
- Businesses registered in Wales
- Businesses registered in Northern Ireland
If you are a smaller business that is unable to offer rapid workplace testing, you can direct your employees to their local test sites. They will find information on where they can have a test, by using the postcode checker here.
Photo by Kevin Grieve, published on Unsplash
