82 businesses signed up to lateral flow scheme

Monday 14 June 2021

82 businesses across seven sectors have signed up to the Government's lateral flow testing programme.

The voluntary system was launched last month, which offers businesses weekly lateral flow tests for their employees.

Pictured: Weekly lateral flow tests for staff were offered to a wide variety of Jersey businesses last month.

The regime was trialled by 13 businesses in early May, before being launched fully on May 17, and offered to businesses across the hospitality, retail, agriculture and fishing, wellbeing, cosmetic, and beauty services, transport, post and delivery sectors.

As part of the system, the Government posts lateral flow testing devices to a business, alongside instructions explaining how to use them, asking them to test all employees every week, and submit the results.

If an employee tests positive, they will then be required to isolate pending the results of a full PCR test.

At the time of announcement, the Government said they were considering a system that would provide a ‘certified’ status, to reassure customers that a particular business is taking part in the new testing regime. Express has asked the Government if this is still going ahead, and is awaiting a response. It has also asked for a breakdown of the 82 businesses by sector, and how many employees this entails.

The numbers come on the day that certain covid restrictions being relaxed, with the legal requirement for masks removed, except on public transport, in the bus station and at the ports. Others, however, including the ability to order drinks at a bar and go to a nightclub, have been delayed by a week.

It also comes as the number of covid cases and direct contacts continues to rise following the relaxation of border controls at the end of last month. 

As of Friday, there were 30 active cases in Jersey and 468 direct contacts. At least one case has now been confirmed in a school.

It is likely these numbers will rise today following a busy weekend of travel but, unlike last year, the Government can cite the high vaccine update in Jersey, particularly among the old and vulnerable, as a reason to keep lifting restrictions and reopening transport links.