WARRINGTON Borough Council is set to begin conducting door-to-door coronavirus tests from this weekend.

Specially-trained testing teams will commence household visits in the town from Friday, July 9.

All residents of addresses visited aged above 11 will be encouraged to take a PCR test.

This ‘surge testing’ is being undertaken in response to the borough’s high Covid-19 case numbers, which have continued to rise in the past few weeks.

The same method was recently used in order to tackle the spread of the Delta variant in Bolton.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, WBC’s executive board member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Enhanced testing is a key part of our continued response to rising coronavirus cases in Warrington – the more cases of the virus we can identify, the more chance we have of halting its transmission.

“Our communities have shown outstanding levels of resilience and sacrifice since the beginning of the pandemic.

“We know we’re asking for further support through our enhanced testing regime, but if we can all do our bit now it means we stand the best chance of having an enjoyable summer ahead of us.”

Teams will give out the tests before returning to collect them later in the day.

‘Specific areas’ of Warrington where the rate of testing and vaccine uptake is low will be targeted, with the Great Sankey South ward being the first location for testing between July 9 and 11.

The council’s director of public health Thara Raj added: “Our door-to-door visits are one tactic of many that we are deploying in Warrington over the coming weeks.

“As well as taking part in the testing if we come to visit, please make sure to keep accessing the symptom-free tests – lateral flow tests – twice a week to check if you unknowingly have the virus.

“It’s also essential you take up the vaccine when you’re offered it.

“The vast majority of residents offered the vaccine so far have taken it, but some haven’t – the vaccine will give you the very best protection from the virus and is our long-term solution out of the pandemic.

“Also remember, even if you have been vaccinated you can still get coronavirus and you can still potentially be poorly with it – albeit not as severely.

“This means it’s still important for your own health, and the health of others, to keep testing and to stick to the hands, face, space, fresh air basics.”