Four coronavirus test centres up and running in Wolverhampton
People with symptoms of Covid-19 are being reminded they must book a test to help stem the spread of coronavirus in Wolverhampton.
The city now has four test centres, with the capacity to carry out more than 1,000 tests each day.
They include a drive-through centre at Aldersley Leisure Village which is open seven days a week from 10.30am-3pm and three walk-through centres, at Showell Road, off Stafford Road, at the council-run Mountford Lane car park in Bilston and in the car park of Whitmore Reans Health Centre, open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.
Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus should book a test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.
The test involves taking a swab of the inside of the nose and the back of the throat, using a long cotton bud.
Latest figures show there were an average of 13.37 cases per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over seven days up to August 22, compared to 17.15 cases per 100,000 people the week before.
John Denley, Wolverhampton’s director of public health, said: “Effective and accessible testing is a key part of our fight against coronavirus.
It is helping us prevent the spread of Covid-19 and enabling people who have contracted the virus to protect themselves, their family and anyone they may have been in contact with.
"We’ve now established four coronavirus test centres across Wolverhampton.
"They are open seven days a week and are located close to where people live and work, meaning anyone who needs one can get a test in a timely fashion.
“The message is clear, if you develop symptoms of Covid-19, no matter how mild, you need to immediately self-isolate and book a free test.”
Anyone who tests positive will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will be asked to share information about people that have been close contacts recently.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal added: “The test is quick and free and, combined with the Test and Trace programme, will enable us to track the spread of the virus, identify trends early on and better tackle potential outbreaks; this in turn will help us avoid a local lockdown.”
