Policy paper

Community testing for people without symptoms of coronavirus

Community asymptomatic testing helps identify and isolate individuals who have coronavirus (COVID-19) but do not have symptoms.

• From: Cabinet Office and Department of Health and Social Care
• Published: 26 November 2020
• Last updated: 24 February 2021 — See all updates

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

This publication was withdrawn on 1 July 2021

This page has been withdrawn because it’s out of date.

Documents

Community testing: a guide for local delivery

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Community testing programme areas

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Details

Community asymptomatic testing is a major new tool to help identify and isolate individuals who have COVID-19 but do not have symptoms and may inadvertently be spreading the virus.

Alongside the deployment of tests to NHS front-line staff, social care and other critical settings, testing of asymptomatic individuals within the community can help suppress COVID-19 and offer communities a direct route out of the toughest restrictions.

Published 26 November 2020
Last updated 24 February 2021 + show all updates

1. 24 February 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East Midlands, East of England, North West, South East and South West.

2. 17 February 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East of England, South East, South West, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

3. 11 February 2021

   Added a link to find out if your area offers rapid asymptomatic LFD testing.

4. 10 February 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East Midlands, East of England, North East, South East, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Added a link to find out if your area offers rapid testing for people without symptoms.

5. 3 February 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East Midlands, South East, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions.

6. 27 January 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England and North East regions. Removed Plymouth and Torbay.

7. 20 January 2021

   Added to the list of community testing programme areas in the East Midlands, East of England, North West and South West regions.

8. 11 January 2021

   Following national lockdown restrictions from 6 January 2021, we are expanding the eligibility of community-led testing to all local authorities across England. The document 'Community Testing: a guide for local delivery' has been updated to reflect this offer. 'Community Testing: an explainer' has also been removed.

9. 10 January 2021

   Added list of community testing programme areas.

10. 23 December 2020

    Added list of community testing programme areas.

11. 16 December 2020

    Updated 'Community testing: explainer' and 'Community testing: a guide for local delivery' to reflect that the community testing programme has been extended to support Tier 2 areas with high prevalence and at risk of entering Tier 3.

12. 30 November 2020

    Added the attachment 'Community testing: a guide for local delivery'.

13. 26 November 2020

    First published.