17 February 2021
Regular COVID-19 testing for safer working
Free rapid response community testing is now available on the Isle of Wight.
Please note: This is only for Island employees who don’t have COVID-19 symptoms and who can’t work from home.
Around one in three people with COVID-19 don’t have symptoms.
Employees can book a test online at: www.keeptheislandsafe.org/community-testing or by calling (01983) 823660 if they don’t have internet access.
From Tuesday 16 February community testing sites are available at:
- Newport – Floor One of County Hall, High Street, Newport, PO30 1UD;
- Sandown – The Heights Leisure Centre, Broadway, Sandown, PO36 9ET;
- Ryde – Learning and Development Service, Westridge Centre, Brading Road, Ryde, PO33 1QS.
Open: Monday to Friday – 7am to 7pm; Saturday – 7am to 1pm.
More locations are planned.
Business continuity
By offering free community testing to all workers who cannot work at home, NHS Test and Trace will be able to quickly identify anyone who may be unknowingly passing the virus on to others. They can then self-isolate immediately, helping to safeguard your workforce and provide business continuity. It will also protect your customers and the wider Island community.
Please keep your workplace safe by encouraging your staff to attend these tests regularly. Find out more about keeping workspaces COVID secure in the article below.
Who is community testing for?
Community testing is particularly targeting those people where there is a higher risk of exposure or potential for mixing between household groups. Examples could include:
- local authority frontline workers not covered by other programmes;
- early years settings not covered by national programme (childminders, non-maintained nurseries);
- retail including supermarkets;
- construction and maintenance;
- some transport workers/hubs (including ferries, taxis, bus drivers);
- volunteers, including those supporting local authorities and emergency services in supporting the welfare of local residents.
How to book
Employees can book a test online at www.keeptheislandsafe.org/community-testing or by calling (01983) 823660 if they don’t have internet access.
The testing process should take a maximum of 15 minutes. Lateral flow tests give a response in 30 minutes. You are advised not to eat anything 30 minutes before the test.
Employees are advised to have a test two times a week.
Community testing is for people without COVID-19 symptoms
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should self-isolate immediately and book a test for people with symptoms online or by calling 119. Those tests will take place at Newclose County Cricket Ground, Newport.
Thank you for all you are doing to keep the Island safe.
Latest coronavirus data for the Island
These are the latest published COVID-19 statistics for the Isle of Wight, from Public Health England.
You can read the full COVID-19 data report on our website.
The graphic shows the COVID-19 statistics published by Public Health England on 15 February 2021 including data up to 14 February 2021:
- 6,554 – The number of confirmed cases to date of Island residents who have received a positive COVID-19 test result since March 2020. This is based on the residential address of the person tested rather than where they are registered with a GP.
- 165 – The number of positive cases in the seven-day period.
- 116.4 – Weekly cases per 100,000. This is the number of Island residents who have received a positive COVID-19 test result in the seven-day period, divided by the total population of the Island.
It is vital we all continue to follow the government guidelines during national restrictions: hands, face, space.
- Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser regularly.
- Wear a face-covering where appropriate.
- Keep space from other people; two metres or at least one metre apart.
Stay at home this February half-term
It’s half term and we still need to stay home and follow the rules to protect everyone.
Remember, you can only leave your home for a limited number of reasons that include:
- to go to work if you can’t work from home;
- to attend medical appointments;
- to shop for essentials, alone where possible;
- to get your daily exercise;
- to go to school or college.
If you’re going out for a permitted reason please avoid busy places, wear a face covering, keep your distance from others and wash your hands regularly.
Let’s minimise the spread of the virus this February half-term.
Stay at home half term activity ideas
There’s still a lot of things you can do to keep yourself and your family entertained this week, including from our council teams. We have:
- an #IsleBeActive photography competition;
- fun, craft-based activity packs available including how to make your own dragon from our heritage service;
- plenty of activities throughout the week including Rhyme Time and storytelling from our library team;
- colouring activities and even a bin lorry spot the difference from our waste and recycling team.
Plus lots more…like and follow our Facebook page to find out more about what’s going on throughout the week and access all the resources.
Managing COVID-19 in the workplace – free webinars for Island businesses
Isle of Wight business owners are invited to join the Isle of Wight Council and Public Health England for a free one hour webinar; “Managing COVID-19 cases and outbreaks in the workplace for Isle of Wight businesses”.
Get the latest information from the government on regulations impacting the business sector and Public Health England on infection control and case/outbreak response.
Book and join online at one of the following events:
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