Posted on Saturday 6th February 2021
Tamworth residents are being encouraged to make use of a new Covid testing centre, in a bid to bring down the rate of cases in the borough.
The new NHS walk-through coronavirus testing facility in Spinning School Lane Car Park is for people with symptoms and residents can book online from today. (Saturday). The first day will be a pilot, with only a limited number of slots available.
Dr Johnny McMahon, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said:
“It is hugely important that people with symptoms self-isolate and get a test as quickly as possible as this is a key way of stopping the spread of infection.
“The opening of this new national site in Tamworth means it has never been easier to get a test locally, so if you do have any of the symptoms please book a test today.”
In Tamworth, the seven-day Covid rate is 361 per 100,000 of population. The highest rate in the county and higher than the average county, West Midlands and National rates.
Jeremy Oates, Covid lead for Tamworth Borough Council, said:
“While rates of infection are slowly coming down in Tamworth, they are much higher than any of us wants to see and we need to do everything we can do to reduce them.
“This new walk-in local testing site should make it much easier for anyone with symptoms to get a test. It means the town now has its own dedicated site with appointments made available every day. So, I would urge anyone with symptoms of coronavirus to book a test and help break the chains of infection.”
“With these increased measures in place, alongside the vaccination programme, we hope to be able to bring the rates in Tamworth down as soon as possible. As a council we were happy to be able to support the fight against this pandemic, by providing the land for the local testing site.”
Testing is only available at the NHS site for those with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.
One in three people with the virus show no symptoms, so everyone who needs to be out and about during lockdown, are being encouraged to get a test at one of the Community Testing Centres, which are open seven days a week.
Walk-in testing is available or people can check availability and book online at Welcome to the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Community Test Sites Appointment System (zipporah.co.uk)
In Tamworth, community testing is available for people without symptoms from 10am to 4pm at the Tamworth Campus (Monday to Friday) and Wilnecote Parish Hall (Saturday to Sunday)
Pop-up community testing will also be taking place today (Saturday February 6 ) 10 to 12.30pm at Sacred Heart Church and on Tuesday at Wilnecote Parish Hall from 10am to 4pm.