Solihull Council is focusing on testing critical (key) workers, by offering them rapid COVID tests at two new local sites. Individuals eligible for these tests, i.e. those unable to work from home will be contacted directly by their employer and signposted accordingly.
Residents without COVID symptoms, but who require a rapid COVID test can still book in at Newington Resource Centre.
All other residents with symptoms must book a COVID test via the online national booking system here or phone 119 (the local sites are at Monkspath Mobile Testing Unit and Birmingham Airport). This follows Roundmead Day Centre closing from tomorrow, Friday 22 January.
Ruth Tennant, Director of Public Health said:
“Currently we are in a national lockdown and asking everyone to stay home wherever possible to protect the NHS and to save lives.
“COVID tests remain a key tool in getting the virus under control. We particularly need to use tests to find those individuals without symptoms. We can then support individuals, and their contacts, to self-isolate in order to break the chains of transmission.
“Our current concern is that some critical workers, and those unable to work from home, might be asymptomatic and unknowingly passing on the virus. This is why we are refocusing our efforts on asymptomatic testing and enabling access to free regular, rapid COVID tests. Residents with symptoms should continue to use the national NHS booking system to access a test.”