Testing for flu in care homes in the South West and webinar invite

What is happening?

During the week beginning 5th October, all CQC registered care homes for adults in the SW will be sent a pack of 10 UKHSA combo LFD testing kits. They test for COVID-19, Flu A and Flu B antigens. They will give you results straight away and are very similar to the NHS Covid-19 Lateral flow devices (LFDs) that we are used to.

If you have not received a set of 10 kits by 15th October, please email swhpt@ukhsa.gov.uk

You may see the term SARS-CoV-2 on the packets. This is the name of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Why is this happening?

Using these test kits will make it easier and quicker to identify flu outbreaks and get antiviral treatment for affected residents and preventative antivirals for others exposed.

What should you do with the kits?

Please store these kits in a safe dry place and make sure your staff know that they are there. If they suspect an outbreak of acute respiratory infection, then they should be able to access and use these kits.

How do you use these tests?

These ‘combo rapid tests’ are used in the same way as the NHS COVID-19 lateral flow tests you use already – you just need to take a swab from the nose of the resident who has symptoms.

These combo rapid tests should only be used if you have two or more residents, who are linked and have symptoms within 5 days of each other. This means that one resident probably caught it from someone else at the care home and this is known as an ‘outbreak’ – see Infection Prevention and Control Guidance: Acute Respiratory Infection.

If you have just one case, or you have no reason to believe that two cases are connected (such as being in separate units or floors), seek medical advice if required and follow the usual Infection Prevention and Control Guidance. If the resident is eligible for COVID treatments, they should be tested using an NHS COVID-19 LFD test.

You will need to report your combo rapid test results when you report your outbreak via the Report an Outbreak webpage in the usual way. It’s important to log all combo rapid test results (both positive and negative), via this webpage so that we can quickly assess what sort of outbreak you have. Also, reporting your test results via the Report an Outbreak webpage will lead to replenishment of your kits as well as an immediate outbreak advice email.  

If you do not have UKHSA combo LFD kits, then do not delay reporting your outbreak via the Report an Outbreak webpage. 

If there is suspicion or confirmation of a flu outbreak, the SW Health Protection Team will contact you to tell you what to do next. If your residents test positive for COVID-19, seek medical advice as necessary and follow the Infection Prevention and Control Guidance.

We are holding free online webinars to answer your questions and to make sure you have everything you need for this process.

Webinars for Care Homes:

8th October 2pm-2:30pm: Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/365321149880270?p=LP51txKHFLgIKEMPfb

Meeting ID: 365 321 149 880 270

Passcode: LQ2qH7dy

14th October 11am-11:30am: Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/388995805316668?p=e3E2YkuW0q5s5iuL6Z

Meeting ID: 388 995 805 316 668

Passcode: FR2Py2jg

If you are not able to join us for the webinar, they will be recorded, and we will share this with you at a later date.

More information is available here: SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A+B antigen combo rapid tests for COVID-19 and 2 types of flu A and B during an outbreak of acute respiratory infection in adult social care residential and nursing homes: a pilot in some areas of England - GOV.UK