ESSEX County Council has clarified its position on testing children for Covid after appearing to encourage regular testing for infants aged two and over.

Earlier this week the authority advised regular lateral-flow testing for children within this age bracket, however it has now stated testing should focus more on primary school pupils.

It comes in a bid to curb increasing Covid rates in primary school age children in Essex and letters were sent to parents and carers across the county with the new advice.

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: “Our intention was to encourage regular testing in primary school age children only.

“Children who are over two-years-old, but not yet attending primary school, do not need to be regularly tested.

“Lateral flow tests are not routinely used in children under two but can be used from that age on.

“We only suggest testing children over two-years-old, but not yet attending primary school, if a sibling who attends primary school has tested positive.”