Surge testing in parts of East London

Targeted testing is to take place in parts of East London after Covid variants of concern from India and South Africa were identified in a small number of people.

The news comes just three days ahead of the government’s lockdown roadmap allowing pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes to serve customers indoors.

However Dalston and Shoreditch hospitality businesses are being told they can still resume Covid-safe indoor trading from Monday 17 May.

Hackney’s director of public health Dr Sandra Husbands today asked everyone aged 16 and over living in the affected areas to get a Covid-19 PCR test, even if they are symptom-free.

“These tests are processed in a lab where scientists can look at what type of virus it is, and check if it is a variant of concern.

“If you get a positive test result then you and your whole household must stay at home for 10 days; this stops the virus from spreading in the community and helps keep others safe from it.”

The council said that all those already identified with the variant strains have self-isolated or are now self-isolating and that robust contact-tracing has taken place.

There is currently no evidence that the variants cause more severe illness, with all of the current Covid-19 vaccines likely to offer good levels of protection against them.

There is however some evidence that these variants can spread more easily than the ‘original’ version of the virus, similar to the Kent variant which swiftly became the dominant strain in the country.

You can check if you live in one of the areas by using a postcode checker and map online to see if your household or workplace is being asked to test.

The council will be testing in the following postcode areas:

E8 2

E8 3

E8 4

N1 4

N16 8

EC1V 9

EC2A 3

EC2A 4

N1 6

The affected areas are parts of Shoreditch, around Old Street and Great Eastern Street, and parts of Dalston town centre, around Dalston Lane and Kingsland High Street.

Those living or working in any of the affected areas are asked to either go to a test site and ask for a PCR test, or order a PCR test to their home or work address by calling 119, or 18001 119 for those with hearing or speech difficulties, or by visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Home test kits can be dropped off at a local testing site or posted in a priority post box.

Dalston’s Bentley Road Car Park test site (N1 4BZ) is open seven a days a week from 8am until 8pm.

Shoreditch will have two test sites in the next few days – Geffrye Community Hall on Falkirk Street (N1 6SD), which opens on Saturday 15 May and will be open seven days a week from 9am till 6pm, and St John the Baptist Church on Pitfield Street (N1 6NP), which will open on Tuesday 18 May, seven days a week from 9am till 3pm.

There is no need to book at the test sites, as residents are asked to simply let staff know if they work or live in an area where a variant of concern has been identified.