Wiltshire Council has begun to locally roll out the government’s rapid COVID-19 community testing initiative to help drive down transmission rates.
The programme, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, is specifically aimed at asymptomatic people at small businesses who cannot work from home, and private early years settings and childminders. Eligible people will take a Lateral Flow Test.
This is not to be confused with surge testing. Surge testing is increased testing (including door-to-door testing) and enhanced contact tracing in specific locations in England and is not currently taking place in Wiltshire
The first test centre will open in Devizes on 18 February, and more will follow soon.
The centres cannot accept people dropping in, and everyone must book an appointment and not have any symptoms of COVID-19. An online booking system will be available soon.
The self-administered test should take no more than 15 minutes and results should be known within half an hour.
Free testing continues to be available to everyone in Wiltshire who has COVID-19 symptoms – high temperature, continuous cough or loss of/change in taste or smell. People should visit NHS Coronavirus or call 119 to book a test in that instance.