Free tests for COVID-19 ended for most people in England on 31 March 2022.
The scheme for free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests for Portsmouth residents ended on 30 June.
Getting tested for coronavirus in Portsmouth
What to do if you have symptoms
Anyone, including children, with symptoms of coronavirus should avoid contact with others.
From 1 April, updated guidance advises people with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and a high temperature or who feel unwell, to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
From 1 April, anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result is advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days, which is when they are most infectious.
What to do if you are a close contact of a positive case
If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus you are no longer required to self-isolate – even if you have not been vaccinated.
Close contacts who are fully vaccinated are no longer asked to test daily for seven days.
It’s really important that we all continue to follow coronavirus safety advice to keep ourselves and others safe.
Testing when you don't have symptoms
You may wish to do rapid lateral flow tests on days when you’re more likely to catch or spread COVID-19, for example, do a test before you:
- mix with people in crowded indoor places
- visit someone who is at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
- attend large events, from concerts to weddings – all large events carry an added risk of spreading coronavirus
Testing as a precaution when you are a close contact protects others from the virus.
- You can purchase tests from pharmacies and online. The government has a list of private test providers.
The scheme for free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test kits for Portsmouth residents ended on 30 June.
Certain places such as health and social care settings, schools and prisons are likely to have their own specific testing rules and guidance. You should continue to follow testing guidance for those settings.
How community testing helps fight coronavirus
- Around one in three people who are infected with coronavirus have no symptoms so could be spreading the disease without knowing it.
- You are at higher risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 in crowded and enclosed spaces, where there are more people who might be infectious and there is limited fresh air.
- Even if you are vaccinated you can still pass on the COVID-19 virus.
Asymptomatic testing means those who test positive for the virus but who don’t get symptoms will know to take precautions to avoid spreading the virus. Adults and children who test positive are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with anyone in an at risk group, including if they live in the same household.
How to do home lateral flow tests
All tests are easy for you to do at home. Step-by-step instructions are included with the test kit. You can call 119 and request a translation service.
To get started:
- Check if you have a ‘throat and nose’ test pack or a ‘nose only’ test pack
- Choose the right ‘How to’ video guide depending on your test pack type
- Read the instructions supplied in the test box
- Take your test
- Report the result (if using an NHS test)
Get testing support and guidance in 200 different languages online; or call the NHS on 119.
Who is still eligible for a free NHS COVID-19 test
There are a small number of people who will still be able to get free COVID-19 tests from the NHS:
- If you have a health condition which means you’re eligible for new COVID-19 treatments
- If you’re going into hospital for surgery or a procedure
- If you work in the NHS or in social care
If you are using NHS test kits, you should continue to report your results. Reporting your results (even if they are negative) helps monitor levels of infection in the community and helps early detection of new variants. If you are eligible for free NHS tests, do not use tests you have bought or received privately as your results cannot be recorded.
Learn more about who is eligible for NHS COVID-19 tests on the NHS website.
What to do with your test result
If the result is positive
From 1 April, if you have a positive COVID-19 test result, you are advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days, which is when you are most infectious. There is more information about test results and what to do on the NHS website (When to self-isolate).
If you are eligible for free NHS COVID-19 tests
If you are eligible for free NHS tests, do not use tests you have bought or received privately as your results cannot be recorded. Learn more about who is eligible for NHS Covid-19 tests on the NHS website (Get tested).