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Lateral Flow Tests available in pharmacies

Photo by Johnny Bugeja.

Gibraltarians can now legally buy Covid-19 Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) in a pharmacy, but the tests will be carried out under supervision.

Valmar Pharmacy in Main Street began offering the tests, which have been supplied by the Gibraltar Government, on Thursday for £30. Others are expected to follow.

Those receiving their LFT results will receive a certificate and walk-ins are allowed.

Director Rosana Teuma told the Chronicle that pharmacies must provide a report to the Gibraltar Health Authority on all tests and will immediately inform of any positive tests.

She said those who test positive must immediately call 111, inform of the positive result and book themselves a PCR test.

The tests will be carried out in a separate room within the pharmacy, but by early afternoon on Friday no one had taken up the offer yet.

Mrs Teuma underscored that those attending the pharmacy for an LFT must have no symptoms, and symptomatic cases should continue to call 111 and book a free PCR test.

This comes days after the Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Carter, announced LFTs would be carried out by alternative providers to reduce long queues at the Covid-19 Drive Through and also ensure testing is more widely accessible to Gibraltarians.

The decision not to allow Gibraltar to purchase at-home LFTs drew flak this week, but Dr Carter has remained firm the supervised model is the way forward.

LFTs will be featuring more prominently in the pandemic response as the Government has also expanded the access to free Lateral Flow Testing.

This means Covid positive Gibraltarians will soon be able to come out of isolation on day seven.

In order to do so, Covid cases must have no symptoms on day six, have a negative LFT on day six, and have another negative LFT on day seven.

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