MORE work is to be done to increase coronavirus testing in areas of Warrington with high rates of coronavirus infection.
The move was announced by Warrington Borough Council alongside a series of changes to the town’s Covid testing programme.
In an expansion of the council’s outreach work, staff and volunteers will be going into local communities to speak to residents about the importance of regular testing and vaccinations.
Residents will be supported to book their vaccine appointments if they have not done so already, and they will be able to raise any issues or concerns.
They will also be offered advice on how and where to get tested, and staff can provide guidance on how to successfully carry out tests at home.
The council has praised the town’s testing programme as a success, having tested more than 20,000 people in the past six months.
It adds that the increased outreach work will help to identify positive cases that may not have been picked up by the current testing programme, helping to ensure those infected with the virus and their close contacts, remain at home and reduce the risk of transmission to other people.
Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “I would like to thank the 20,000 people who have already gone out of their way to get a test in the past six months to help protect themselves and those around them.
“Coronavirus has not gone away just yet and case numbers in Warrington are still high, so please continue your efforts and make it a positive habit to get tested or test yourself twice a week.
“We are looking forward to meeting more Warrington residents and reaching more communities over the next few weeks, to support them as we move into this next phase of our testing programme.
“Our testing site at Golden Square will remain open for those working in the town centre, shoppers, people attending large events and anyone else who is able to drop in to get a quick 10-minute test.”
Other changes to the programme include the symptom-free testing site at Golden Square Shopping Centre becoming the town’s main Covid testing site.
The testing site at Grappenhall Parish Centre has now closed, while pop-up sites at Birchwood, Burtonwood, Croft and Lymm will change to collection only, following the regular sessions, from Monday, July 5 until Friday, July 16, when they will close.
READ> The number of Covid cases in Warrington this past week
Rapid symptom-free testing remains available to all residents in Warrington, whether they have been vaccinated or not, to help stop the spread of the virus.
Lateral flow tests are available online for collection from participating pharmacies or at the symptom-free testing site at Golden Square Shopping Centre.
Although the last day of testing at the Grappenhall testing site was on Wednesday, residents will still be able to get a test from Monday to Saturday at the Golden Square site, by using pharmacy collect or having tests delivered to their homes.
Residents may be eligible for self-isolation support payments to help you self-isolate if you test positive for coronavirus, or if you are identified as a close contact of someone with coronavirus.
Support is also available from Warrington Voluntary Action’s Good Neighbours scheme by emailing hello@warringtonva.org.uk or calling 01925 246881.
For more information about testing in Warrington, whether you have coronavirus or not, visit warrington.gov.uk/TestAndTrace
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