Last updated: 05 September 2024

Guidance for COVID-19 testing and vaccination in homelessness settings (as of August 2024)

Testing

  • From April 2024 onwards, the UKHSA will no longer supply free COVID-19 Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests to settings in England for use in the event of a suspected outbreak of COVID-19. (An outbreak is defined as 2 or more linked cases of COVID-19 within 14 days.)
  • Due to infection, prevention, and control measures as well as access to COVID-19 Treatments, all suspected COVID-19 outbreaks will now be managed like other acute respiratory infections.
  • Where appropriate, homelessness services should contact Health Protection Teams or other local partners who may, as part of outbreak management, undertake a risk assessment to advise whether testing using PCR tests is required.

More guidance on COVID-19 can be found on the government website.

Vaccination

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has announced its advice to Government for the COVID-19 vaccine programme in autumn this year. Similar to previous spring and autumn campaigns, the Committee’s advice is to offer the vaccine to those at high risk of serious disease and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.

JCVI advises the following groups should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine this autumn:

Vaccination can be offered to people without an NHS number and those who are not registered with a GP.

Further Advice and Resources

  • The Operating Principles for Night Shelters sets out advice on how night shelters can operate more safely.
  • Homeless Link’s SWEP and Winter Provision guidance and Vaccine Toolkit provide more related information to support frontline organisations.
  • Groundswell’s COVID-19 resources include short accessible guides, leaflets, posters and films for people experiencing homelessness and frontline workers.
  • The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has an information hub on data protection and COVID-19 data.
  • Doctors of the World have tools and resources for improving vaccine confidence.
  • The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England have produced a joint communications toolkit to support stakeholders explain and promote the vaccination programmes. It contains background information, statistics, key messages, social media assets, suggested social media copy, information on how to order health publications and links to useful information.

This webpage resource has been funded by MHCLG through the VCFS programme.

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