The community pharmacy lateral flow test distribution service will now be available to all asymptomatic people, the Welsh Government has announced.

Previously, only people who were vulnerable and those spending time in higher risk environments were eligible to get the free tests.

The Welsh Government has now made lateral flow tests available to all people as more restrictions are being eased across the country.

All Covid restrictions in Wales will be lifted by Saturday (7 August), moving the country to alert level zero.

According to Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) over 95% of community pharmacies have registered to deliver the testing service since it was launched in July.

A similar service for community pharmacies in Scotland has been in action since June.

Earlier this week, The Pharmacist reported that no pharmacies in Wales have been commissioned to deliver the Covid booster programme despite there being an ‘appetite for involvement,’ a spokesperson from CPW said.

The Welsh Government told The Pharmacist that they ‘plan’ to start the vaccine campaign in early September ‘subject to the final advice from the JCVI and vaccine supply’.

In March, The Pharmacist reported that only 18 of the 713 community pharmacies in Wales had been commissioned to deliver the Covid vaccine, despite calls to boost the sector’s involvement.