Drive-Through Covid Test Centre Returning To Airport

Jersey's drive-in Covid testing centre is moving back to the airport.

The harbour testing centre is closing to free up space for more passengers to use the Elizabeth Terminal over the spring and summer, when more people are expected to travel in and out of the island.

All PCR tests will be carried out at the old cargo centre in St Peter. It first opened in the summer of 2020 and closed in August 2021.

Anyone who had booked a PCR test appointment for the harbour from Monday 14 February has to go to the airport-drive through instead.

People can't travel there on public transport.

"Islanders will be booking PCR tests because they have symptoms or have had a positive LFT.

This means they are at higher risk of being positive, and so they should travel to the drive-through by private transport, and should not be using buses or taxis."

This change forms part of the plan to scale back Covid restrictions.

"De-escalation of measures is only possible due to the island’s excellent vaccination coverage and the efforts by Islanders to ensure they have a negative COVID status before leaving home.

It is therefore vital that Islanders who are not yet registered onto the free home testing programme, sign up today.

Regular screening through LFTs means that we can pick up positive cases quickly and ensure that transmission in the community and workplaces is kept to a minimum." - Deputy Richard Renouf, Health Minister.

Negative lateral flows don't have to be reported anymore unless it's to leave isolation early.

Islanders must report lateral flow positives and book a confirmatory PCR test.

It's recommended that lateral flows are taken at least twice a week and before visiting care homes, the prison, and healthcare settings.

"I would like to thank our testing colleagues for all their hard work and commitment over the past two years. Their professionalism and flexibility is very much appreciated, and our teams have helped keep our Island safe during the pandemic. 

Islanders have been enthusiastic in their uptake of the home LFT programme, and many of our positive cases are being identified through the subsequent PCR test. Please continue to log your positive LFT results, so we can ensure your isolation period is correct." - Rachel Williams, Director of Testing and Tracing.