COVID TESTS AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVEN’T GOT SYMPTOMS
PEOPLE in communities in Bridgend, Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Tâf will be given coronavirus tests whether they have symptoms or not, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has announced.
Mr Gething said there would be “targeted community testing” in several parts of the councils, all of which fall within the Cwm Tâf health board area, with the aim of reducing community spread.
At the Welsh Government’s press briefing last Wednesday (February 24), Mr Gething also announced there would be a massive expansion in workplace testing across Wales. In Bridgend it will take place within Caerau, Nantyffyllon, Pyle, Kenfig Hill, Cornelly, Cefn Cribwr, Sarn, Aberkenfig, Coytrahen, Ynysawdre, Bryncethin, Bryncoch, Pencoed, Hendre, Felindre and Heol-Y-Cyw.
Testing centres will be set up to support these areas, and all residents within these communities who are aged 11 and over and who are not displaying symptoms of coronavirus will be encouraged to take part.
At the centres, staff will show people to booths where they can carry out a swab test. As the swab will be processed upon the premises, participants will be contacted within 30 minutes with the results.
If a positive result is recorded, the participant will be asked to self-isolate while arrangements are made for them to receive a confirmatory test along with further advice and support.
Bridgend council leader Huw David said: “The entire purpose of the community testing can be summed up best in the established fact that one in three people who have coronavirus show no symptoms, and unknowingly enable the virus to spread. This initiative will help to identify people who may fall into this category, and will take place throughout the month of March.
“As it will target more than 21,500 households, it is going to be a hugely ambitious undertaking. We shall be carrying out a great deal of publicity to encourage people to take part, so look out for more details soon.”
Announcing the community testing, Mr Gething said: “From next week, targeted community testing will begin in parts of Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Tâf.
“By expanding testing to detect more cases more quickly, particularly those that are asymptomatic, we may well see an uptick in the figures for the prevalence of the virus in Wales.
“An increase in the reported number of positive test results is not, in itself, necessarily a bad thing if the basis for that increase is understood and swift action taken to stop transmission. Our incredible vaccine programme is the other beacon of hope that will help guide us out of lockdown.”
Referring to the workplace testing, he said: “We know around one in three people who have coronavirus show no symptoms and spread the virus unknowingly.
“By frequently testing people in the workplace we can identify asymptomatic people and their contacts faster and, crucially, help reduce the spread of this dreadful virus. “The priority will be workplaces that have a higher exposure to risk, involve people working in close proximity to others, and those that deliver key services for the people of Wales.”