Care home staff virus testing set

2021-01-15 11:39:49

Staff of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) and nursing homes are required to undergo the fifth round of nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 between January 18 and 27.

The Secretary for Food & Health issued a compulsory testing notice today.

The notice covers those who are employed by and will be on duty at RCHEs, RCHDs, nursing homes and day service units attached to residential care home premises, or will provide services to residents or users through hire-of-service contracts with residential care homes and the aforementioned units between January 28 and February 6.

They must not take the sample themselves and should receive free specimen collection services using combined nasal and throat swabs in any of the community testing centres or mobile specimen collection stations, or self-arrange testing in laboratories recognised by the Government at their own expense.

Relevant staff can also have their specimens collected by a healthcare professional or trained personnel arranged by institution operators for testing at government-recognised laboratories.

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