PEOPLE in the North of Ireland who get a positive lateral flow test no longer need a PCR test to confirm that result.
The Department of Health has said those who receive a positive lateral flow test should assume that they have Covid-19 and self-isolate immediately.
The current isolation period lasts seven days, with a negative lateral flow test needed on day six and seven.
It comes as pharmacists warn the demand for lateral flow tests in Northern Ireland is outstripping supply.
It follows a move in England where the same change to Covid testing rules was announced on Wednesday.
The Department of Health said that the removal of confirmatory PCR testing is a “temporary measure” in response to the “very high prevalence of Covid in Northern Ireland at present”.
On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported three more Covid-19-related deaths and a further 7,133 cases of coronavirus.
It also said a positive lateral flow test is a “positive indicator of current Covid-19 infection” and a positive lateral flow test should still be reported on gov.uk so that close contacts can be informed through contact tracing.
After receiving a positive result, people should continue to isolate until they get two negative lateral flow tests taken 24 hours apart, or they have completed 10 full days of isolation – whichever is earlier.
Fully-vaccinated people who are identified as close contacts are now advised to take daily lateral flow tests for 10 days following their exposure.
But those tests have also been hard to come by for many because of the rise in demand caused by rising Omicron cases.
On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported that more than one million lateral flow tests had been delivered to the North of Ireland within 48 hours.
That includes of number of new types of rapid lateral flow tests which will become widely available within days.
“While there is currently very high demand for lateral flow tests across Northern Ireland, there is no shortage of tests,” the department said.
Peter Rice, the chair of Community Pharmacy NI, said the main problem is getting supplies out from the central store to pharmacies.
“The supply is dealt with through one of our wholesalers, but they’re having to focus on the supply of medicine first and foremost,” Mr Rice said.
“It means each pharmacy only gets one box of lateral flow tests per day and in some cases that box is used up within the first hour or so of getting it.”
Mr Rice said pharmacies were “under quite significant pressure” due to staff shortages and an increased workload, and urged the public to “only come forward if they need the testing kits and not to be hoarding them”.
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