Posted on Wednesday 14th July 2021
Testing and vaccinations are to be boosted in Tamworth in a bid to manage the very high number of Covid cases across the borough.
An extra Mobile Testing Unit has now opened at Riverdrive Car Park – meaning around 1,000 PCR tests will be available daily to book at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus across three testing sites.
With the final step of the lifting of lockdown happening on Monday, health chiefs are also encouraging everyone aged 18 to get both doses of the vaccine as soon as they are eligible. As well as booking online, walk-ins are also available in the borough. Plans for the roll out of more vaccine pop-up clinics are also being finalised.
Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council’s Director for Health and Care, said:
“Cases in Tamworth remain very high and are still almost double both the Staffordshire and national average.
“With the legal easing of restrictions, we can expect to see more cases. We want to avoid unnecessary hospitalisations and deaths, so it is important that we act now to help keep case numbers as low as possible.
“We are boosting both testing and vaccinations in the borough and we would encourage anyone aged 18 and over to have both doses of the vaccine as soon as they can, as this is the best way to protect themselves and others from the serious effects of Covid.
”It is also important that people in Tamworth, in particular, continue to get tested twice weekly and take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus.”
The Tamworth Extra drive will see Extra tests and Extra vaccinations made available to help people enjoy the Extra Freedoms from Monday as sensibly and as safely as possible. Full details of all the options can be found at: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/tamworthextra
Jeremy Oates, Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said:
“We have all worked so hard to win back these freedoms, but the situation here in Tamworth is a reminder that Covid is still with us and the risk, particularly to people, including children, who have not had the vaccine remains.
“We have had a good response on testing and vaccination uptake and we need to keep this up to help bring this outbreak under control. We owe it to our families, our friends and our communities to do everything we can to help bring cases down and ensure that we continue to enjoy these freedoms safely.”