With rates of COVID-19 at the highest they’ve ever been in Devon, Devon County Council is reminding residents of the importance of regular testing to help keep everyone safe.
Testing, tracing close contacts and self-isolating is vital to managing the spread of coronavirus and reducing the risk of potentially dangerous variants spreading.
Some people might find it frustrating, or think it is pointless, but if you’re identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 you’re at least five times more likely to be infected than others. And even if you have been vaccinated you can still pass the virus on.
As more of us are out and about enjoying the freedom we’ve missed, we’re encouraging everyone in Devon to make regular symptom-free COVID-19 testing part of their everyday lives to help find cases that would otherwise go undetected and break the chains of transmission. Rapid lateral flow device (LFD) tests are readily available to do at home or at one of our many walk-in sites, and you’ll get your result within 30 minutes.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you must stay at home and self-isolate, along with anyone you live with, and take a free PCR test to confirm whether or not you have the virus. If you test positive, you will still need to self-isolate regardless of your age or vaccination status.