A DRIVE-THROUGH coronavirus testing facility opened today in Runcorn for those with symptoms of the disease – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
The site – at Heath Road, South Car Park, part of The Heath Business & Technical Park, Runcorn, WA7 4QQ – is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history.
Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.
Additional support is available for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
People testing positive will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them trace their contacts.
Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus. They will be advised to also book a test if they develop symptoms.
The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat, which can be done by the person themselves (self-administered) or by someone else (assisted). Those being tested may experience some mild discomfort but it should not hurt.
NHS test and trace – How it works: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works#people-who-have-had-close-contact-with-someone-who-has-coronavirus
The testing programme has the capacity to process more than 500,000 tests a day and includes more than 600 venues across the UK, including 79 drive-through sites, 271 walk-through sites, 258 mobile units, home testing and satellite kits and five Lighthouse laboratories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcRw92bO8xg&t=50s
