YORK'S public health director Sharon Stoltz has urged the city's people to get tested for Covid twice a week as lockdown eases.

She says adults can either go regularly to one of the four testing centres in the city, or use a home-testing kit.

But how easy is it to take such tests? How reliable are they? Who should be taking them? And will they really help to slow the spread of coronavirus? We asked a few questions…

Why do we need to take Covid tests twice week?

About one third of all people with the virus do not show any symptoms, says Fiona Phillips, City of York Council's assistant director for public health. That means that people may be infectious without even knowing it - and so could easily pass the virus on to someone else.

That is particularly true now that we are beginning to come out of lockdown, and beginning to resume something approaching a more normal life.

"Nobody wants to pass the virus on to somebody else," she said. "We've seen whole classes of schoolchildren having to go home, and workplaces really struggling because a handful of staff have had to self-isolate."

Getting a regular, free Covid test twice a week is the good way of reducing the risk of this having to happen, she said.

How easy is it to get a test?

There are four testing centres in York where you can get your free test: at Foxwood community centre, the University of York, York St John University or the York Stadium leisure complex. To make an appointment, book online at york.gov.uk/SymptomFreeCOVIDTest or else call 01904 551559.

Alternately, you can request a supply of home testing kits from the same website, or at most high street chemists. The kits include instructions for how to take a sample and where to send it.

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How reliable are the tests?

The rapid test you will be taking - known as a lateral flow test, which gives results in 30 minutes - is not 100 per cent accurate, Fiona admits.

It gives a 'false positive' in about two per cent of cases - meaning two in every 100 people who test positive actually don't have coronaviris. That is why, if you do test positive, you will be asked to take a more accurate PCR test, which will confirm whether or not you have the virus.

It is also possible to get a 'false negative', Fiona says - meaning the test will say you don't have Covid, when in fact you may be infected.

But it is still definitely worth doing the test, Fiona says. Studies have shown that the tests are very good at picking up on people who have very high levels of viral infection, and who are therefore most likely to pass the virus on. 

What do you do if you get a positive test?

You will have to self-isolate for 10 days, and a system will swing into place to trace people you may have come into contact with so that they, too, can be tested.

However, you will also be invited for a more accurate PCR test. If this confirms that you do not have Covid after all, you can stop self-isolating.

Should I still get tested regularly even if I have been vaccinated twice?

Yes, says Fiona. Firstly, the vaccines are not 100 per cent effective, so there is still a small chance you may catch the virus even after being vaccinated. The test results will also provide scientists with important data about how long any immunity given by the vaccine lasts - another reason for taking them, as it will help improve the way we use vaccines against the virus in the longer term.

Who pays for the tests?

The test kits are provided by central government, although there is a cost to the council of manning the test centres and administering the test data. There is no cost to the person taking the tests.

Should everyone get tested?

All adults should ideally be getting tested twice a week, says Fiona. Secondary schoolchildren are being tested by their schools already. Parents are not being asked to get children who are younger than secondary school age tested. 

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Getting a free Covid test. Picture: Jacob King/ PA 

How many people in York have been following the advice and taking the tests?

In the week of April 12 - 18, a total of 14,338 lateral flow tests - the quick tests that we are all being asked to take twice a week - were carried out on York residents.

This figure included:

  • 587 tests carried out at one of the four council-run test sites
  • 764 carried out on university staff and students
  • 7,499 carried out on secondary school staff and pupils
  • the majority carried out at home
  • 4,795 carried out through workplace testing programmes
  • 693 carried out on York residents outside of York

Of these tests, only 19 - ie just just 0.1 per cent - were positive. "Whilst this is a small number, it does mean that these 19 people did not go on to infect someone else, who in turn could have gone on to infect someone else," Fiona said.

Might people be put off testing for fear of being found positive and not being able to work?

There may be some people that worry about this, says Fiona. But people who are struggling financially and who have to self-isolate are entitled to isolation payments.

Also, if you do have Covid, it is important that you know, so you can take steps not to pass it to family and friends.