Please note that as of 13 December 2021, most people on the Isles of Scilly should use the national coronavirus testing route when accessing a PCR test.
You can order a free PCR test from the government website or call 119 to request a test via the national route. Your testing kit will be posted to the address you provide when ordering and you must follow the instructions on the test kit packet carefully.
The Post Offices on all of the islands can now accept PCR tests via designated post boxes in support of the national testing route. You should post your test kit on the day you take the test and no later than an hour before last collection.
Please note that our local testing team will not be made aware of the test results from PCR tests posted via the national route. Instead, you will receive your test result via whichever contact method you chose when registering your test kit.
The full list of reasons for accessing a PCR test can be found on the government website. The above advice applies to all but one of these reasons: if you have been asked to take a test because you are going into hospital.
If you are going into hospital or you need additional support with your PCR test
If you need to get a PCR test because you’re due to have surgery or another medical procedure, the health team will normally be able to carry out the test locally and will contact you to arrange this.
If you need support to access or administer a PCR test, or have any queries relating to coronavirus and cannot find an answer on the government website, please either:
- call 07955 434608 from 9.30am to 2pm, Monday to Friday
or
- email keepscillysafe@scilly.gov.uk and we will respond within 48 hours
Self-isolation following a positive PCR test
Please remember that anyone who receives a positive PCR test result is required by law to self-isolate immediately. The self-isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day you had the test, if you do not have symptoms) and the next 10 full days. You will be informed of any further steps you need to take based on your test result.
If you are identified as a case of the Omicron variant you will be contacted by a dedicated NHS Test and Trace team who will want to identify your close contacts and speak to you more in depth about your movements. Please try to engage with them as much as possible. Any of your close contacts will be notified by the test and trace team and informed of what to do. This will include testing daily.
Advice on when to self-isolate and what to do can be found on the NHS website. If you need additional support in order to self-isolate, please email keepscillysafe@scilly.gov.uk
For the latest information relating to coronavirus arrangements on the Isles of Scilly, please refer to the coronavirus (COVID-19) information and advice pages on our website.
For all of the most recent guidance relating to coronavirus, please refer directly to the government website.