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The specialists setting up a covid testing programme at one of the UK’s busiest airports have been looking to Jersey for inspiration.
Jersey now has the highest level of testing in Europe – and one of the lowest rates of positive results.
Part of that has been driven by the testing programme at Jersey’s airport and harbour.
Jersey has now conducted more than 40,000 arrivals screenings since the borders reopened to commercial travel on 3 July, leading to the detection and isolation of more than 30 cases.
Since Thursday 20 August, we have completed 1,779 more tests at our borders with 1 new positive identified from inbound travellers – this case is an asymptomatic individual. pic.twitter.com/qMZGek1RXt
— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) August 21, 2020
And that success hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Heathrow – which announced the opening of a dedicated testing facility at Terminal 2 last week – has partially modelled its approach on Jersey.
Echoing the measures for those returning from ‘amber’ countries, the UK airport’s pilot regime involves incoming passengers taking one PCR (diagnostic) test on arrival, then a second confirmatory test a few days later. With Government approval, travellers with two negative tests will then be able to be released early from quarantine.
In advance of setting up the new centre alongside Swissport, Collinson Group approached Ports of Jersey for advice.
Pictured: The new rapid test processing lab based at Jersey's Aero Club is expected to reduce turnaround times to 12 hours.
“We had a call with them and exchanged some emails with details of how we had developed the arrivals testing regime and what our plans were to improve it,” Digital Jersey CEO Tony Moretta, who was previously the testing Programme Director, explained.
Announcing the launch at Heathrow’s Terminal 2, and an imminent launch at Terminal 5, Collinson and Swissport praised Jersey as a “strong case study”, adding: “Consistent with the findings of all other countries that have trialled and implemented testing on arrival, the testing was found to be highly effective at detecting covid at the border and preventing onward transmission in the community.”
Jersey’s average test turnaround time is currently around 30 hours, but is expected to reduce following the opening of a new ‘flatpack’ lab at the Jersey Aero Club, which can process up to 2,000 tests in around just 12 hours.
Jersey top of Europe for covid testing rates
Covid lab with 12-hour turnaround arrives
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