Suffolk businesses say Yes 2 Test as many premises prepare to open on Monday
By Derek Davis
10th Apr 2021 | Local News
Suffolk businesses are being encouraged to protect themselves by getting their staff tested for
COVID-19 twice a week, as part of a new campaign launched today. The Yes 2 Test campaign complements the Government's roll-out of regular rapid testing foreveryone, which begins today, Friday 9 April 2021.
Businesses across Suffolk are being asked to commit to whole-staff lateral flow testing, either
through testing at their workplaces or encouraging staff to sign-up for home testing kits. Many businesses have already signed up to Yes 2 Test, such as Adnams, Notcutts and Berry Global, and this number is expected to grow as lockdown measures continue to ease and premises open again. The Government's message is those that can work from home should continue to do so, howevershops, hospitality and leisure venues open from Monday.
Regular testing is vital in keeping Suffolk safe and helping us live-with and defeat Coronavirus.
Stuart Keeble, Director of Public Health at Suffolk County Council, said: "Twice-weekly testing is absolutely key in making sure we break the chain of infection as quickly as
possible. "With one in three people with COVID-19 having no symptoms the virus can spread undetected andas we know, this can have a devastating impact on a workplace. Businesses have had an incredibly
tough year and have adapted and changed to weather the storm – testing is another Covid measurethat must be undertaken. We must say Yes 2 Test."
There are a number of ways for staff to get tested, including testing at work or home testing kits.
Business owners have until Monday 12 April (11.59pm) to register at www.gov.uk for on-siteworkplace testing for all staff, or to sign-up for Workplace Collect which enables staff to collect rapid
test kits from work and take them home to carry out twice weekly tests. Home testing kits are alsonow widely available and these can be accessed either by ordering online, collection from community
testing sites, some pharmacies and PCR testing sites at designated times. Suffolk County Council's mobile community teams are available to support workplaces with settingup testing on site. The teams also run Test & Collect engagement days at workplaces to help
familiarise staff with how to test at home, report their tests and provide an initial supply of kits for staffto take home prior to delivery of the Government's Workplace Collect orders. For information or to
book a team email [email protected] Suffolk's business owners and managing directors are invited to sign-up to become ambassadors of Yes 2 Test and share their experiences of implementing whole-site testing or incorporating regulartesting into their job requirements. For information about workplace testing in Suffolk visit
www.yes2test.co.uk. Many Suffolk businesses and organisations are already supporting Yes 2 Test. Sadie Lofthouse, Director of Culture & Performance, Adnams, said: "From the very beginning of the pandemic we have had three clear goals. To keep our employees,our customers and our local communities safe, to protect a business that's 150 years old and to save
as many jobs as possible. "One of the key things we can do to continue with those three goals is to make the best use ofLateral Flow Tests. We were able to put some really good measures in place as we made all of our
sites Covid-secure, but it's inevitable that as we get busier and have more people on site, our teamswill come into contact with each other and customers more – even with social distancing in place.
"By asking everyone to test twice a week we are increasing the chance of picking up the
asymptomatic cases or those with very mild symptoms and we can then ensure those people aresupported to stay at home until they test clear again. We believe this will give employees, customers
and the communities in which we're based the confidence to start to return to a way of life that ismuch more normal than we've all had to get used to in the past 12 months."
Chris Starkie, Chief Executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Testing is an important tool in preventing the spread of coronavirus and we would encourage all businesses to take up the offer of free tests for their employees.
"As well as protecting the health of your staff and customers by identifying cases in those with on
symptoms, it can minimise disruption to your business which could occur if large numbers of staffneed to self-isolate."
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