Most of Wiltshire’s community testing sites are set to be replaced by a click and collect model from this week.
In late February, Wiltshire Council opened lateral flow testing sites across the county aimed at asymptomatic people at small businesses, private early years settings and childminders.
But from Wednesday, March 31 those sites will start to operate on a click and collect model which according to public health director, Kate Blackburn will bring testing more in-line with people’s lifestyles.
Director of public health in Wiltshire, Kate Blackburn
She said: “From tomorrow (March 31) our Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury test sites are closing, and our new collection option will take over.
“People will also be able to collect lateral flow tests from Monkton Park in Chippenham and Bourne Hill in Salisbury.
Anyone will be able to go to the sites to collect tests without making an advanced booking, but the public health boss said they are particularly looking for families with school-aged children and their bubbles to collect tests twice weekly.
“We do feel that this testing method is more convenient and suited to people’s lifestyles, and we are planning to introduce more sites in due course,” she said.
“Even with the overall Covid situation improving considerably, it’s clear that testing is going to be here for quite a while and we will be constantly looking at the support we can provide people.”
Devizes Leisure Centre Scenesetter. Pictures by Diane Vose DV5164/01.
The test site at the leisure centre in Devizes will continue to run as before. Mrs Blackburn said the site will stay open because of its footfall. A collection option will also be available from the Devizes site.
“When we set the sites up it was very much determined by where we had the largest collection of businesses with the right number of people, and Devizes has proven to have good footfall, so we wouldn’t want to stop that,” Mrs Blackburn explained.
“The other three sites had lower footfall and the information coming back was that the collection model would be more useful.”
People who have any symptoms of coronavirus should not use this service. Symptoms include a high temperature, a new, persistent cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
If people are showing any symptoms, they must book a PCR test.
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