Two Covid-19 testing centres opened in Northumberland

The first Local COVID-19 Testing Centres in Northumberland have opened.
Two Local COVID-19 Testing Centres have opened in Blyth and Ashington.Two Local COVID-19 Testing Centres have opened in Blyth and Ashington.
Two Local COVID-19 Testing Centres have opened in Blyth and Ashington.

The centres – at the People’s Park car park in Ashington and the Marine Terrace car park in Blyth – form part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for communities.

The sites are semi-permanent facilities, and can be accessed on foot, as opposed to the three Mobile Testing Units in the county which can be moved around to other areas and are drive-through only.

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Testing is available for everyone who has symptoms, with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.

Anyone that tests positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts.

Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, advising them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.

The sites and the booking process to make appointments for a test at these sites are run by the Government’s Department of Health and Social Care, and only those with coronavirus symptoms should book a test.

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Tests must be booked as soon as symptoms begin at nhs.uk/coronavirus

Public Health Consultant, Jim Brown said: “These testing sites are purpose-built locations where people who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested for the virus.

“These are walk-through sites which means they are accessible on foot, as opposed to by car, but we must stress appointments are still required before attending to ensure that sites have enough capacity to meet demand and prevent them from becoming overcrowded.”

Coun Jeff Watson, Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Wellbeing, added: “Local testing centres have made it even easier to get a free coronavirus test.

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"If you have symptoms, however mild, please get tested now to help stop the spread of the virus and protect the people around you.

“Like other parts of the region we are seeing a sharp rise in cases, especially in the south east of Northumberland, and I urge anyone with symptoms to book a test today, and anyone contacted by NHS Test and Trace to follow their advice to protect those around them from the virus.”

It comes as Northumberland has seen a ten-fold increase in coronavirus cases in the last six weeks.

Speaking at county council’s health and wellbeing committee on Monday, director of public health Liz Morgan reported that in the two weeks up to August 18, there were 27 cases, followed by 65 in the next fortnight, and then 266 in the 14 days to September 18.

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She said that the latest data suggested an infection rate of 40 per 100,000, which has doubled in the last week to 10 days.

“Across the seven local authorities, County Durham and Northumberland still have the lowest rates, but our rates are escalating rapidly and it will be a couple of weeks before we know if any of the restrictions have had any impact in trying to contain rates at the current level,” she added.

Ms Morgan repeated her warning that while the average age of positive cases had dropped from 50 in June to mid to late 20s five or six weeks later, it is now increasing and ‘that is of concern to us, because obviously it is people in older age groups who are more likely to have long-term conditions and particularly care-home residents who are the most vulnerable, and nationally we are seeing an increase in hospital admissions for Covid-19, which is what we are trying to avoid’.

She also noted that there had been increasing positive tests coming from the NHS, suggesting that more people with Covid-19 are being admitted to hospital, but also a general increase in community transmission.

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“What we have now is widespread community transmission,” she added.

In terms of other venues, there have now been 22 Northumberland schools with confirmed Covid-19 cases, while there have been 10 outbreaks since July 10 in county care homes, of which four remain active, with three occurring in the last week.