George Eustice issued his appeal in a letter sent on 2 March to “the businesses keeping the nation safe and fed”, which covers the food, drink and waste industries.
Mr Eustice writes: “Now is the time for employers to adopt the government’s workplace testing programme, with the tests being provided free of charge.
“We do not yet know the impact of the vaccine on transmission of the virus, and it may still be possible to pass on Covid-19 to someone else even after vaccination.
“This makes testing of asymptomatic employees in the workplace all the more important, as it allows organisations to identify potential outbreaks and respond at speed, keeping staff safe and preventing further disruption.
“Providing the tests is quick and easy, and results are received rapidly. Employers should be aiming to test staff members twice each week.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) extended the offer of government-funded lateral flow testing to businesses and public sector organisations in England, including those in the waste sector, earlier this year (see letsrecycle.com story).
Lateral flow tests are used to try and identify a higher proportion of asymptomatic people with Covid-19. Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test and so produce results quickly.
Free tests
The programme of free tests is open to all employers of more than 50 staff. It will run until 30 June, but businesses must register by 31 March. There is an understanding via the UROC trade organisation that businesses under 50 staff are also eligible. (There is a Defra email below which may give advice on this point.) And, Mr Eustice said that further testing options are also available for organisations falling under the 50-person threshold.
Visit here to sign up or email officials at Defra at Covid-19.WorkforceTesting@defra.gov.uk with any queries.
Mr Eustice says Defra can also provide businesses with further guidance and examples of where the testing scheme has already been successfully adopted.
Waste
The Environment Agency also issued an FAQ document explaining how to collect and transfer Covid-19 lateral flow device wastes from mass-testing sites in England in February (see letsrecycle.com story).
Yesterday, the Association of Directors of Environment, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) issued a further document relating to the disposal of lateral flow device tests. It has been written in collaboration between the DHSC, the Environment Agency, Public Health England and Defra.
The document states that the normal handling of municipal wastes containing lateral flow devices creates no additional risk from the Covid-19 virus when compared to wastes from other respiratory viruses. This includes the cleaning and emptying of bins by facilities managers or others working at the location lateral flow tests are taken.
Useful links
Secretary of State letter to food, drink and environmental service industries
Disposal of Lateral Flow Device Test Kits: Frequently Asked Questions
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