Walk-through coronavirus test centre opens in Wellington

A new walk-through coronavirus testing facility that will help testing to be more accessible is opening in Wellington today.

The facility at Wrekin Road Car Park is the second to open in Telford and Wrekin following the first opening at Harper Adams University on 1 October.

Several new walk-through testing centres are set to be opened in the coming weeks that will help to make testing more accessible for those without a car.

Cases double in Telford and Wrekin

The latest local COVID-19 figures for Telford and Wrekin published yesterday show that cases in the borough have doubled in a week.

For the week ending 18 October, in Telford and Wrekin there have been 276 people diagnosed with Covid-19. The seven day infection rate for Telford and Wrekin is 153 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of the population.

Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin’s Director of Public Health, said: “The number of covid cases has increased 89%, nearly a doubling in the last week.

“About a third of this increase relates to students at Harper Adams testing positive and we are working hard with the university to manage that situation.

“Not all the increase can be related to students, there is ongoing transmission in the community - between members of the same family, between friends and work colleagues.

“Sadly some of our more vulnerable members of our community are being affected, with rates of infection increasing in the over 60s – currently we have 20 people with Covid at the Princess Royal Hospital.

“As a community we have done so much to protect ourselves, our friends and our family but as infections continue to rise I would urge people to take more precautions.

“Isolate and get tested when you have any symptoms of Covid, however mild – local testing sites are available. Together we need to fight this virus, protect ourselves and our loved ones.”

Who can get a test?

Anyone with one of the three key coronavirus symptoms, however mild, can get a free swab test at the site that takes less than a minute.

Tests at the site should be booked or ordered as soon as symptoms begin at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

Andy Burford, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Making testing accessible to all is important, not everyone has a car and we need to be testing everyone in Telford and Wrekin who has symptoms to prevent the spread of the virus.

“The Council has worked hard with Government to open these centres by providing them with a number of suitable sites to choose from.

“Each site was assessed for accessibility and security; also additional signage is being installed by the Council to prepare the site.”