Community testing expanded in Dorset
It's now being offered to essential businesses and organisations with less than 50 employees
More than 350 businesses and organisations in Dorset are now using rapid testing for their employees.
It's for people who by the nature of their jobs can't work from home.
One in three people who have COVID-19 show no symptoms and can spread the virus without knowing.
Businesses and organisations in Dorset who employ less than 50 people are now being asked to register their interest for the scheme.
As requested by the Government, we prioritised testing capacity. Frontline council workers, businesses, charities and voluntary organisations (employing less than 250 people) who either provide an essential service or support the vulnerable have already been invited to register their interest and have started getting tested.
Employees must sign up to six weeks of testing and be tested at one of the sites around the county.
Any business or organisation with over 50 employees can access testing by registering interest in the Government's institution-led-testing programme at www.gov.uk/get-workplace-coronavirus-tests.
Cllr Nicola Greene, BCP Council's Portfolio Holder for COVID Resilience and Public Health said:
"Thank you to all those businesses and organisations who have already signed up to the Dorset Rapid Community Testing Programme. It's important that we all continue to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and for businesses to protect themselves, their customers and clients.
"I would encourage any businesses or organisations whose staff cannot work from home to book at their nearest available community testing centre as soon as possible. If you're a business who is eligible and haven't signed up to be tested yet, please register you interests.''
Cllr Laura Miller, Dorset Council's Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health said:
"Everyone must stay at home as much as possible and work from home if they can. Due to the nature of their work some people are unable to do this so if you can't work from home and fit the community testing criteria please register for community testing.
"The quicker we can identify COVID-19 cases, the quicker those people can self-isolate and help break the transmission of the virus."