Door-to door testing rolled out after South African coronavirus variant detected in Surrey
Teams will be going door to door in the Woking area to offer PCR tests
Last updated 1st Feb 2021
The South African variant of coronavirus has been found a Surrey town.
Two test results from the Goldsworth Park and St Johns areas of Woking have been confirmed as the SARS-CoV-2 variant.
None of the residents have travelled out of the country or have any links to previous variant cases.
Surrey’s public health director Ruth Hutchinson said:
“It’s really important to say that there is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness, so you don’t need to worry.”
A team coordinated by Surrey Local Resilience Forum (SLRF) will be going door to door in the next couple of days (February 1-2) offering PCR tests to around 9,000 people in the Woking areas.
They have been working over the weekend with Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care to mobilise the localised ‘surge testing’, which will use mainly Woking Borough Council volunteers, who will carry ID.
The Egham case was discovered on Sunday (January 31) and a similar exercise will be carried out there in a few days once there is sufficient manpower and test kits.
SLRF is hoping everyone aged 18 and over in the affected areas will get on board with the testing, whether they have symptoms or not.
This will enable them to closely monitor any community spread of the new variant and restrict further transmission, working closely with PHE, NHS Test and Trace and the Joint Biosecurity Centre.
“This is a precautionary measure – the more cases of the variant we find, the better chance we have at stopping it from spreading further,” said Ms Hutchinson.
“By playing your part and taking the test, you’ll be helping to keep your community and your loved ones safe.”
A sample of positive coronavirus test results are sent for genomic sequencing and in this way the three cases were picked up as the variant.
Dr Alison Barnett, regional director at Public Health England South East, said: “The UK has one of the best genomic systems in the world which has allowed us to detect the variant originating in South Africa here in Surrey.
“I urge everyone offered a test to take it up to help us to monitor the virus in our communities and to help suppress and control the spread of this variant.”
She added: “The most important thing is that people continue to follow the guidance that is in place – limit your number of contacts, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, keep your distance and cover your face. If you test positive by any method, you must isolate to stop the spread of the virus.”
Woking is one of seven areas within the UK where this surge testing operation is taking place.
As of Saturday (January 30), 105 cases of the South African variant, known as VOC-202012/02, had been identified across the UK.
Mutations to the virus happen as it makes new copies of itself in an attempt to spread and thrive.
More evidence is needed to know the extent to which the regulated vaccines protect against it.