LATERAL flow testing trialled in Liverpool last month will be used to facilitate face-to-face visits at care homes in the borough as part of a pilot from January.

The rapid coronavirus tests are already being used to test NHS staff and other frontline workers without Covid symptoms on a regular basis in the borough.

But due to concerns about the accuracy of lateral flow technology, families visiting loved ones at care homes will still have to take a standard swab test.

Wigan council’s director of adult social care and health Stuart Cowley told a scrutiny committee on Thursday how lateral flow tests will be used for visits.

He said: “They should be seen as part of a set of risk management solutions to facilitate care home visiting.

“Greater Manchester’s already put in some extra advice and guidance to make sure if people are using lateral flow tests to enable a negative result to facilitate a visit, that’s underpinned ideally by the PCR tests three days before.

“They’re only used to be seen in conjunction with all the other defences you’d want to put in place in terms of safe physical distance and PPE flowing to and out of the homes.”

Age Well service manager Jenny Yates said lateral flow technology is part of a ‘two-test approach’ that will be used to reintroduce care home visits.

She said: “All of our care homes at the moment are going through training to do those lateral flow tests because it’s anticipated that as well as using lateral flow for visitors, at some point in the future we’ll also use lateral flow to compliment the PCR tests that’s currently taking place on a weekly basis.

“So it’s a two-test approach, plus PPE, plus handwashing, plus wherever appropriate and right socially distancing, all of the infection control measures about entrance and exit and cleaning down in between visits, and just ensuring that it’s a very well-managed and logistically sensible way of reintroducing visits in care homes.”

During the first wave of the pandemic, 35 out of the borough’s 52 care homes experienced a Covid-19 outbreak. Now, all but eight are completely Covid-free.

The number of care homes reporting an outbreak is now ‘steadily decreasing’ with a reduction over the last few weeks, according to the council manager.

She added: “Early in the first wave, testing for people leaving hospital wasn’t really readily available and at the time we addressed that locally through a Wigan wide testing regime.

“Building on that, but also in line with the government’s winter plan we’ve established a designated location.

“What that means is that individuals who are Covid positive and leaving the hospital setting will never directly be discharged to their care home.

“Instead they’ll go to this safe haven setting for a 14-day isolation period.

“The reason we’re doing that is to ensure that we’re reducing the risk of outbreaks within our homes.”

Dr Muna Abdel Aziz, Salford council’s director of public health has led the group developing the advice for care homes on behalf of Greater Manchester.

She said: “We know how incredibly difficult the pandemic has been for people who live in care home and their relatives – the desperate worry about catching Covid, compounded by not being able to touch or hold hands with your loved ones for months has been heartbreaking. So it’s great news that tests are now being made available to help this finally change.

“However, the last thing anyone wants is for Covid to be accidentally introduced in to care homes. This is why, over the last week or so, our own expert group on testing and infection control have been working with our care homes, as well as directors of public health and of adult social care, to come up with proposals which we believe will minimise the risk of someone who may be carrying the virus from being able to visit inside a care home.

“The advice we’re giving Greater Manchester’s care homes – and the visiting policy is their decision – is that people who would like to visit are asked to take a PCR test up to three days before, as well as a lateral flow rapid test on the day of the visit.

“Care homes will be writing to relatives to explain their arrangements for safe visiting in more detail in the coming days, to reflect their particular circumstances.

“We’re confident and comfortable that this approach will give visitors, residents and care home staff far greater peace of mind about meeting up safely with their loved ones.”