Covid community testing sites open across Wiltshire
The council’s Covid-19 rapid community testing programme, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, will offer a Lateral Flow Test to people who do not have symptoms, but who may still be spreading the virus.
Those in smaller businesses (employees of 50 or less) who cannot work from home, and private (non-maintained) early years settings and childminders have been chosen for the initiative because they are not currently involved in any other mass-testing scheme.
The testing sites will be located at:
- Monkton Park, Chippenham
- Devizes Leisure Centre
- Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre, Salisbury
- County Hall, Trowbridge
The Devizes and Salisbury test centres are now up and running, with the others due to follow soon.
Anyone who wants to take a test must book an appointment first and not have any symptoms of Covid-19. The self-administered test should take no more than 15 minutes and results should be known within half an hour.
Anyone who receives a positive Lateral Flow Test result must then self-isolate.
Kate Blackburn, Director of Public Health for Wiltshire, said:
“Rapid community testing for asymptomatic targeted groups is another tool at our disposal to help control and drive down our case rates. If used effectively with other measures it will help reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading.
“I must really stress though that a negative Lateral Flow Test result is not a passport to freedom, and people must still closely adhere to all the Covid guidelines of washing hands regularly, socially distancing, and wearing a face cover where required.
“Local case numbers have fallen recently so we must all continue to play our part and not undo all the progress made recently.”
If you have symptoms of Covid-19
Free testing continues to be available to everyone in Wiltshire who has Covid-19 symptoms – high temperature, continuous cough or loss of/change in taste or smell.
Visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 to book a test.
