Pathway and the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health, welcomes the Government’s decision to continue offering free Covid-19 tests for high-risk settings, including homelessness settings.
The news comes after Pathway and the Faculty, in partnership with other homelessness organisations, wrote to the Secretaries of State for DHSC and DLUHC calling on the Government to continue supporting patients and staff in homelessness settings after the end of community testing.
Following that letter, this week the Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that after the universal testing offer ends on the 1st April, tests will continue to be available to protect those most vulnerable to the virus at no cost.
These include:
- Free symptomatic testing for people living or working in some high-risk settings, including supported living services, and;
- Free asymptomatic testing for high-risk settings where infection can spread rapidly, including domestic abuse refuges and homelessness settings.
Pathway is pleased the Government responded to the recommendations of the homelessness sector, who have been working together to advocate for continued free testing across homelessness services. Covid-19 remains a serious health threat, particularly for those who are clinically vulnerable.