A SCHOOL in Kendal has become a Covid-19 Lateral Flow Community Testing Site as part of plans to tackle the spread of the virus in Cumbria.

Cumbria County Council announced that several lateral flow testing sites are now available to the public in the first phase of the rollout, which includes a site at The Queen Katherine School.

Currently, the community testing sites are intended only for people that are unable to work from home and those who are in greater community contact as part of their job.

Phase one initially consists of five sites opening across the county in Carlisle, Aspatria, Kendal, Penrith, and Millom, with further sites opening soon.

People are still encouraged to stay local and not to travel excessively to testing sites far away from their homes.

The lateral flow tests provide a result within 30 minutes, with no need for tests to be sent away to a laboratory for analysis.

Results will be provided via SMS and/or e-mail.

The test detects the presence or absence of coronavirus from a swab or saliva sample and takes less than 15 minutes to register and administer the test.

This type of testing helps spot asymptomatic carriers, people who do have Covid-19 and are infectious but are not ill.

These people can then self-isolate to protect others.

Those who do have symptoms of coronavirus have been asked not attend the test site and instead book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

Complete with strict and safe Covid-19 precautions in place, Queen Katherine School will be open for Covid-19 lateral flow tests on Thursdays between 17:45 – 19:30 and Saturdays between 09:15 – 12:30.

No appointment is necessary to receive a test but people should wear a face covering, unless medically exempt from doing so.

If a person tests positive with the lateral flow test they will need to self-isolate for ten days.

Eligible individuals who test positive will be entitled to the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment in the same way as a regular swab test through NHS Test and Trace.

Contact the project team at ask.LFT@cumbria.gov.uk with any queries.