No click and collect tests yet
‘CLICK and collect’ coronavirus tests are not yet available in West Berkshire as the council had not been notified.
The Government announced on Sunday that twice-weekly testing using rapid lateral flow tests would be given for free to all families and households with primary, secondary school and college aged children, including childcare and support bubbles, to help find more Covid-19 cases and break chains of transmission.
The Government said that the ‘click and collect’ tests would be available to collect from local authorities the next day, March 1.
West Berkshire Council leader Lynne Doherty (Con, Speen) said: “We had not actually had that notification. We had some parents turning up looking for their tests that weren’t yet there.
“Undoubtedly it will work and we will get it sorted but we are just asking for patience.”
Four testing centres across West Berkshire are up and running at Highwood Copse Primary School in Newbury, Thatcham Rugby Club, Hungerford Rugby Club and Burghfield
Community Sports Association.
Last week Highwood conducted 272 tests, Thatcham 330, Hungerford 125 and Burghfield 516.
Mrs Doherty said that the centres had planned to be in use until the end of March, but this had now been extended to the end of June.
The council said: “Please do not visit our sites to collect home testing kits as these are not available at the Lateral Flow Device testing sites, only from the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Central site in Newbury. More information to follow on 15 March.”