Sites for free lateral flow tests revealed

PEOPLE who live in the Hampshire County Council areas have been told where they can go to pick up free rapid home testing kits.

From Friday, anyone can collect lateral flow test kits and everyone is urged to carry out a test twice a week to make sure new coronavirus cases are picked up as soon as possible.

The idea is that a test can be carried out at home and the result logged to give a picture of positive cases across the country.

The places in this area where test kits can be picked up are: Cams Alders car park in Fareham; Walpole Park car park in Gosport; Havant Civic Centre car park. They can also be collected from Worthy Lane car park in Winchester and the regional testing site at Southampton Airport – but only in the afternoons as the mornings are used for testing people showing Covid symptoms.

The county council’s director of public health, Simon Bryant, said: ‘As we see the number of positive cases decline, it’s tempting to think that Covid may soon be a thing of the past, but the virus transmits so easily from person to person, and if we do not continue to exercise caution and do all we can to minimise spread, we may have to live with some form of restrictions for the foreseeable future.

‘Don’t forget that one in three people may have the virus but not experience any symptoms, so alongside the vaccine and following “hands, face, space”, regular testing will continue to be essential to preventing further spread, helping us to get back to a normal way of life.

‘I am therefore urging Hampshire residents to take up the offer of free, regular testing – and make TestRecord-Repeat a part of your weekly routine.’

Anyone who wants to take a supervised lateral flow test at a community testing site can drop in on the day or book an appointment online. You must not go to these sites if you have any symptoms.

It is also possible to order home test kits online. Visit www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests or call 119.

Residents may also be eligible for regular asymptomatic testing through their workplace. Mr Bryant added: ‘I would remind everyone who is testing regularly at home that it is very important to record your test result. Secondary school pupils and college students should continue to test regularly throughout the holidays, and should take a test the day before or morning of the first day of summer term, before returning to education.’