South African Covid-19 test areas expanded
Door-to-door and mobile unit testing for variant stepped up
MORE Southport residents are being asked to take Covid-19 tests after a further case of the South African variant of the virus was confirmed.
All over 16s living in parts of Cambridge and Dukes wards are now being encouraged to take tests, in addition to those in the Norwood ward who were first asked last week.
In response to the newly-confirmed cases, which are not thought to be linked to the initial one reported by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week, Sefton Council has expanded its door-to-door testing service and opened a new Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) at Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.
In addition, a team will be visiting the four schools in the area affected before next week’s half-term holiday.
The rollout follows on from the MTU set up at the Kew Park and Ride site last week to be used by those living in Norwood ward.
Dukes ward covers the town centre and part of Birkdale, while Cambridge largely covers Marshside, though the testing is initially only targeting those living in the town centre areas.
Cllr Tony Dawson, who represents Dukes Ward, said the extra area now being tested roughly covers between Alexandra Road, Hesketh Park and the municipal golf club to the north and Victoria Park in the South.
That, he explained, means it includes most of the town centre area stretching west to the Promenade as well as the Manchester Road/Zetland Street area as far south as Central 12 Retail Park.
Residents can check their ward area on the council’s website, while those living outside the target areas can still visit the asymptomatic test site at Splash World if they must leave their home for work, education or care purposes and the Town Hall remains open for people with Covid-19 symptoms.
Andrea Watts, Sefton Council’s executive director for people, who has been co-ordinating the testing arrangements, said: “Once again, since having been informed about the second, apparently unrelated case of the variant, we have moved quickly to put testing arrangements in place for the extended areas in Southport.
“I am pleased to confirm we will be getting under way tomorrow with the mobile testing unit at the theatre and convention centre or ‘floral hall’ as local people may know it and the door-todoor delivery of home testing kits to homes and businesses in the areas will start on Thursday.
“I would like to thank people living and working in the Norwood area for how enthusiastically they have reacted to the news about the South African variant and their willing participation in this important testing programme.
“I am confident that people in the two new wards identified will work with us just as positively.”
The council has reminded people to protect themselves and others by sticking to the national lockdown regulations and staying home, both within the target areas for the South African variant and across the rest of the borough.
Opening hours for the mobile testing unit at theatre and convention centre on the town’s promenade will initially be 10am to 5pm.
The unit at the former Kew park-andride site in the Norwood ward is open 8am-6.30pm. Both are open seven days a week and are specifically for people within the target areas who don’t have any Coronavirus symptoms.
Teams visiting addresses in the target areas will deliver home testing and, where possible, wait while people test themselves. Anyone calling with one of these tests will carry identification. They will not ask for money, financial details or enter people’s homes.