Targeted door-to-door covid testing will begin in an area of Loughborough this week, following a recent rise in case numbers.
Residents in parts of Lemyngton ward will be asked to take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test if they wish, to help identify further cases in the area and help protect their community.
The drive is part of Leicestershire County Council’s latest steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus after a sharp rise in cases over the past week. The Lemyngton area (which includes neighbouring Hastings ward) has a rate of 342.5 per 100,000, compared to the Leicestershire average of 57.9, and the England average of 69.9.
Tests will be carried out by the council's public health team, who will drop the tests off at over 700 households in the area, and return to collect them later in the day for processing.
The door-to-door testing will begin on Thursday (17 June), and is expected to run for over a week.
We want to encourage people to take a test if offered one at their door. By doing more tests in a targeted way, we’ll be able to identify cases where people have no symptoms, and slow down the spread of the virus in an area with particularly high numbers.
We need to do all we can to help prevent the spread of the virus as we see that concerning pattern of cases going up.
Person:Mike Sandys, director of public health
The voluntary testing is being carried out by Leicestershire County Council, in partnership with NHS Test and Trace. Testing staff will carry ID cards and wear Leicestershire County Council branded hi-vis vests.
Testing is available to all Leicestershire residents - those who experience symptoms of coronavirus (continuous cough, change or loss of taste or smell, or high temperature).
Around one in three people do not experience symptoms, so to help identify cases that would otherwise go undetected, people without symptoms can get a lateral flow test at one of seven centres around the county - or can pick up a home test kit at a test centre, library, leisure centre or pharmacy.
A new test centre is open from today (for those without symptoms) at the car park of the Braunstone and District Working Men’s Club - open from 11am to 7pm, seven-days-a-week, and residents can turn up at any time during these hours.
- The coronavirus data figures included refer to the time period of 4 to 10 June 2021
- The figures are for the Lemyngton and Hastings Middle layer Super Output Area (MSOA)