Fury at Covid test ‘chaos’

PEOPLE living in coronavirus hotspots are struggling to get tested amid fears that the national system has ‘lapsed into chaos’.

Residents in Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Oldham, Bolton and Tameside are either being told there are limited numbers of tests available - or none at all.

The Stockport Express tried to book a test online via the government website which said there were “no testing sites” when attempting to select one.

In samples carried our across the Greater Manchester in only two boroughs in each case we said we were a male key worker who had had symptons for two days.

A message was displayed saying “more tests should be available later, if you cannot book a test now, or the location or time are not convenient, try again in a few hours” which is what has greeted thousands of others, as well as urging you not to ring the helplines.

Only in Tameside and Trafford was a test offered.

In Tameside, using an Audenshaw postcode we were offered a slot at the drive-in centre next to the Etihad Stadium, 4.1 miles away.

Using an Altrincham postcode we were offered the option of three walk-in testing centres, the nearest being 3.8 miles away in Wythenshawe.

The Director of public health for Cheshire West and Chester, Ian Ashworth said tonight the north west had 25 percent of the country’s coronavirus cases but yet only had access to 15pc of the national testing capacity.

Three schools in Stockport have had coronavirus outbreaks.

They are St Winifred’s RC Primary, Heaton Mersey; Didsbury Road Primary School, Stockport - ( Year 1) and Adswood Primary, Stockport - ( Year 1, Year 2, one class from Y5/6).