Test centre moves to new site after access concerns

THE Llanelli coronavirus drive-through testing centre has moved from the Parc y Scarlets stadium car park to Dafen.

As of today, car park B at the stadium will not be used and tests will be carried out at Dafen Yard in Heol Cropin, Dafen.

Hywel Dda University Health Board said the car park entrance at Parc y Scarlets had sparked some confusion among those attending for tests.

However, tests will be carried out in the same way and booking remains through the Uk-wide website or by phoning 119 between 7am and 11pm.

There should be no need for people to travel far as there is good capacity for testing in Llanelli and at Carmarthen’s Nantyci Showground.

Alison Shakeshaft, executive director of therapies and health science at Hywel Dda, said: “Everyone who books a test will receive instruction on where to attend when they book. Currently there is plenty of testing capacity at the new Dafen Yard site and at Carmarthen Showground.

“The Parc y Scarlets site was temporary and it was causing some confusion in terms of entry points to car park B. We hope the Dafen Yard site will be easier to access.

“We would like to thank Scarlets Rugby for use of the site and to people in Llanelli for their co-operation.”

Llanelli is a health protection zone because of rising cases and remains in lockdown.

There are extra restrictions in the area which mean people cannot visit anyone else’s home, or accept visitors into their home unless they have a

“reasonable” excuse such as providing care for a vulnerable person. They should not meet indoors with anyone who they don’t live with, and travel in and out of the health protection zone will also be limited to that considered “essential”.

Some people have been reporting difficulty in getting a test; anyone living in the Llanelli health protection zone having problems doing so can email covidenquiries. hdd@ wales. nhs.uk or call 0300 333 2222.

The type of tests carried out on these sites is to find out if people with symptoms have Covid-19. Symptoms are a new continuous cough, or a high temperature, or a loss/ change to sense of smell or taste.

Anyone with any of these symptoms should stay at home and book a test, and remain at home for 10 days from when symptoms start or until receiving a negative test.

People in your household should also stay at home for 14 days or until you get a result.

All test centres are drive-through only. Only people who have a booking reference will be able to access a test.