What are the current guidelines for diagnosing COVID-19 in primary care settings?

For people identified as being at the highest risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 infection, the current guidance recommends performing lateral flow tests for diagnosis ¹.

For individuals presenting with symptoms and signs of an acute respiratory infection (ARI) in primary care settings, clinical assessment is used to make a diagnosis and decide on management ³. It is important to note that rapid point-of-care microbiological tests or influenza (flu) tests are not routinely offered to determine whether to prescribe antimicrobials for suspected ARIs ³. The guideline on suspected acute respiratory infection in over 16s specifically states it does not cover people with known COVID-19, directing to other NICE guidelines for managing COVID-19 infection ³.