Cases of covid-19 have been steadily increasing since the end of August this year and, with new covid variants Pirola and Eris in circulation, those numbers are expected to stay on the up. While the figures are not expected to reach those of the height of the pandemic, we should still be doing what we can to prevent the spread of the infection. And that means testing.Rules on Covid TestingCurrently, according to UK Government advice, home testing for covid-19 is no longer a requirement. If you have symptoms (and do test positive), there is also no necessity for you to self-isolate. However, using a home testing kit to determine whether your symptoms are caused by the covid-19 virus will help to keep the spread of coronavirus at bay. How do We Test for Covid 19?Routine PCR testing has ended for the majority of people in the UK. However, you can still use an at-home, lateral flow, home testing kit to establish if you have covid or not. But you can pick up a cheap covid testing kit online very easily and it’s a good idea to keep some in store for the upcoming winter ahead. Check any covid test kits you have at homeIf you have any covid test kits that have been sitting around for a while be careful to check their best before dates as they could provide a false negative. There is also concern that older antigen test kids were designed to detect the original Wuhan strain of covid. So do make sure you use an up to date lateral flow test if you’re concerned about covid symptoms this winter. How to use a home covid test kitWash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 30 seconds.Most tests contain three main items: a collection swab, a test strip and a small vial of liquid. - - Place them all on a clean surface.Open the test strip and place it on a clean surfaceOpen the vial liquid and set it in its upright holderNow open the collection swab and insert it into each nostril, rotating five times against the inner wall. You should insert the swab ½ to ¾ of an inch into the nostrils. Insert the swab into the vial of liquid and stir. Squeeze the sides of the vial as you pull it out. This is very important to make sure everything collected on it is transferred into the liquid.Using the dropper cap on the vial, squeeze the liquid onto the collection are of the testing stripWait for the required time on the instructions (usually 10-15 minutes). Do not disturb the testing strip during this timeYou will see a C and a T marker on the test strip and as the timer ticks a line will start to show at the C marker to show that the test has been valid. If you see no C line, you will need to start again with a new test kit.If you see a line at the T marker (no matter how faint it might be), this is a positive test result indicating that you most likely have covid-19. Need more help? We can supply your household, workplace or clinical setting with cheap covid testing kits, face masks and PPE for quick online delivery. Do take a look at our other blogs on how to stay covid-free this winter 2023.