Rapid testing sites for key workers in Cambridgeshire

Sites are being opened to test people who don't have symptoms.

Author: Abi SimpsonPublished 4th Feb 2021

Rapid testing sites for key workers and people who can't work from home are being opened across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The sites will offer free rapid tests for people over 18 who don't have any coronavirus symptoms.

The idea is to identify people who could be spreading the virus without realising.

It follows a commitment from the Government to test as many people as possible who are key workers or can't work from home as possible.

The two council's have been allocated 100,00 tests for the next six weeks, with the potential for the pilot to be extended.

Initially there will be six sites at:

The Hub, High Street, Cambourne, South Cambridgeshire, CB23 6GW - launches Wednesday 3 February.

Queen Mary Centre, Queen's Road, Wisbech, Fenland, PE13 2PE - launches Thursday 4 February

Soham Town Rangers Football Club, Julius Martin Lane, Soham, Ely, East Cambridgeshire, CB7 5EQ - launches Friday 5 February.

Huntingdon, The Coneygear Centre, Buttsgrove Way, Huntingdon, PE29 1PE - launches Thursday 11 February.

Cambridge, The Meadows Community Centre, 1 St Catherine's Rd, Arbury, Cambridge, CB4 3XJ - launches Friday 12 February.

St Mark's Church, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2SN - already operating.

Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: "With around a third of people infected not showing any signs of the virus, it's important that we ramp up our testing of people who are symptom-free to break the chains of transmission.

"Most people should be staying at home at the moment and limiting all contact with anyone they don't live with, but we know there are large numbers of people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have to leave home to go to work and they are the people we want to target with this testing.

"By testing these people on a regular basis - twice a week for at least six weeks - we can reduce the number of cases of Covid-19 across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, limit the number of people who might die or become very ill as a result of the virus and protect our NHS.

"However, it is not the testing itself that will reduce rates of transmission, but what people who are tested then go on to do. If people don't isolate after a positive result, then we won't reduce the spread of the virus.

"This is now a legal requirement. Equally, if people regard a negative result as a 'free pass' and ignore national guidance it will do more harm than good. While these rapid tests identify many people who are infectious with the virus, some people who are infectious may still get a negative test result.

"This is why it is so important people with a negative test result continue to socially distance and follow the lock-down rules, and to regularly access two tests a week if they are able to."

The process takes on average 15 minutes from arrival to departure.

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