Dedicated testing in the Borough for the COVID-19 variant first identified in India ended on Friday 4th June. this week.
During around three weeks of dedicated testing in Sefton for the variant first identified in India, over 3,100 PCR tests were carried out at drive-through, walk-through and pop-up test sites.
Despite the end of dedicated testing Sefton is far from being out of the woods. People living, working and studying in the Borough along with visitors to remain cautious.
Vaccinations and testing key
Vaccinations have played a key role in suppressing the spread of coronavirus and the variant and if we are going to continue making progress back to normality, it is vital that people go and get their first and second jabs when they are invited.
People also need to carry on taking the free, easily-available rapid tests twice a week to ensure they are not infected but not showing symptoms.
Anyone who does get a positive result or develops symptoms must self-isolate and book a PCR test straight away. Self-isolating means staying at home and not going out for any reason such as shopping or exercise and trying to reduce the risk of infecting other family members where possible. Advice on support and self-isolating tips are on our website at www.sefton.gov.uk/isolating.”
RAPID testing
RAPID testing for people without symptoms continues at Bootle Strand and Southport’s Splash World. The Splash World site is open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week. The Bootle Strand site, the former H Samuel unit, is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
RAPID Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) provide people with a result in around 30 minutes.
People without symptoms who are going to work or are out and about regularly should also be taking home RAPID home tests twice a week. RAPID home testing involves taking a throat & nasal swab, dropping the sample into the container supplied and then checking for the result after 20 to 30 minutes.
No symptoms
Around one third of people with coronavirus do not show any of the tell-tale symptoms of a new persistent cough, a high temperature or a loss of taste or smell. Taking regular rapid tests helps those asymptomatic carriers to help make sure we don’t pass on the virus accidentally.
Free RAPID test kits are available from any Sefton pharmacy and between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week from the Borough’s walk-through Local Test Centres. These are located opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall.
People who aren’t confident about taking a rapid test at home can choose to go for an assisted test at Sefton’s new Bootle Strand or Southport Splash World test sites.