Walk-in centres to provide tests

WALK-IN centres for Covid-19 testing are to be set up to make it easier for people without cars to get tested for the virus.

Six centres are being trialled in Newcastle, Rochdale, Leeds, Brent, Newham and Slough, with the latter described as a hybrid drive and walk through.

The exact location of the centres has not been confirmed by officials but one is understood to be on a basketball court, and there have been reports they will spring up in empty shops and car parks.

A source at the Department of Health and Social Care said officials were working on “walk through testing sites in England for people without cars”.

The source said that previously the push was to have testing sites out of the way so there were not “huge” numbers of potentially infected people travelling into the centre of towns.

But they added that now incidence is lower, they can look at ways to safely provide testing “in the heart of communities”, in a way that is more easy and accessible to people.

Downing Street said “the right guidance and advice” would ensure the safety of

walk-in coronavirus testing centres. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We have already been setting up mobile testing units to serve communities where needed.

“We want to ensure testing is available in places that are accessible and work for the public across the country.”

He added that “walk-in sites is clearly something that we are looking at”.

Asked whether that potentially risked people with coronavirus mingling with shoppers or other pedestrians, the spokesman said the Department of Health and Social Care would set out full details of the plan.

The spokesman added: “But I’m sure we will make sure the right guidance and advice is in place.”

It comes as the latest NHS Test and Trace figures show that 24% of people (5,062) who tested positive for Covid-19 between May 28 to June 17 and who had been transferred to the tracing system were not reached.

This number includes people who the service was unable to reach because there had been no response to text, email and call reminders.

A total of 20,968 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England had their case transferred to the contact tracing system during the first three weeks of its operation, according to figures from the Department of Health & Social Care.

Of this total, 15,225 people (73%) were reached and asked to provide details of recent contacts.

During the first three weeks of Test and Trace, 113,925 people who had been identified as recent close contacts of people who had tested positive for Covid-19 were reached through the tracing system.

This was 89% out of a total of 128,566 identified contacts.