• Care home staff to be given coronavirus tests every week and residents monthly from Monday to identify anyone with the virus and reduce transmission
• Repeat testing will be initially prioritised for care homes primarily looking after over 65s or those with dementia before being rolled out to all adult care homes
• The government’s Vivaldi 1 care home study highlights the importance of regular staff testing while there is a higher prevalence in care homes
  Staff will be tested for coronavirus weekly, while residents will receive a test every 28 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus in social care. This is in addition to intensive testing in any care home facing an outbreak, or at increased risk of an outbreak.

The new testing strategy comes following the latest advice from SAGE and new evidence from the Vivaldi 1 study indicating a higher prevalence in care homes, and therefore a case for frequent testing in care homes and their staff.