To ask the Minister of Health to detail the basis of the advice to the public only to seek a test for COVID-19 upon the development of symptoms, even if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

At the time of the question, general policy was that all people displaying symptoms of the SARS-Cov-2 virus were advised to come forward for testing.

Following investigation and advice from the Contact Tracing Service, close contacts who were not displaying symptoms may also have been advised to take a test in certain circumstances for example if there was an outbreak in an area or at a workplace. For other close contacts not advised to go for a test, the public health advice remained that they should isolate for 10 days irrespective of whether they developed symptoms and were subsequently tested. A subsequent negative test result does not alter the requirement to complete the full 10 day isolation period.

Testing policy in Northern Ireland continues to be reviewed regularly and updated in line with emerging scientific and medical evidence as we learn more about the SARS-Cov-2 virus, and as testing capacity has enhanced.

In April 2021, the offer of testing to all close contacts of positive cases in Northern Ireland has commenced.