Hemel Hempstead Library plays its part to help communities stay safe from Covid-19

Hemel Hempstead Library is one of nine across Hertfordshire that have offered assistance to Hertfordshire’s Public Health team, by becoming collection points for Lateral Flow Tests (LFT) in their local communities

The libraries which will act as collection points are Hemel Hempstead, Baldock, Bishop’s Stortford, Hatfield, Hoddesdon, Oxhey, Rickmansworth, Stevenage, and Watford. They will help ensure as many residents as possible have access to these home test kits, and can stay safe and well this winter.

Executive Member for Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning Terry Douris said: “As we approach the winter months, it is vital that communities throughout the county have access to home testing kits to help keep Covid-19 infection rates down.

“By acting as a Lateral Flow Test collection point, our libraries are playing their part to ensure we all stay well together.

"This serves as a great reminder of the adaptability and resilience our local libraries and their staff members have shown in the past 18 months to help serve their local communities in times of extreme adversity.”

When collecting the kits, residents will not need any codes and will simply have to ask staff for a kit. Each resident will be able to take a maximum of two kits away with them, with seven tests in each kit.

The libraries are collection points for asymptomatic people only and those who are symptomatic must not attend. Instead, they should book a Covid test online.

Members of the public are encouraged to follow the advice on the tests if they require assistance.

Director of Public Health Jim McManus said: “Lateral flow tests are a vital tool to help us combat the spread of this virus and residents are encouraged to do a test twice a week to do so.

“I welcome this step to help more people access them and I would strongly encourage residents who are unable to order these tests directly to their homes to collect one.

"I would also like to thank library staff for the invaluable role they are playing as we continue to tackle Covid-19.

“These tests help to rapidly identify asymptomatic people who are at a high likelihood of spreading Covid-19 without any knowledge of doing so.

"They keep yourself and everyone around you safe, at a time of the year where other illnesses like colds and flu are more prevalent.”