Dear Residents,
We have been sent the following press release from Staffordshire County Council.
People living in areas identified as covid hotspots are being advised to get tested, as part of efforts to stop the spread of infection and see restrictions lifted.
Everyone who lives in one of these areas can book a test on the national portal www.nhs.uk/coronavirus choosing the option “my council has asked me to book a test”.
Staffordshire Council is also rolling out rapid covid testing for people without symptoms in these hotspot areas over the coming months.
Covid hotspots will be reviewed on Mondays and Thursdays weekly and can be found at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus. Today’s covid hotspots are:
- East Staffordshire: Anglesey and Brizlincote
- Lichfield: Chase Terrace
- Newcastle: Audley, Crackley & Red Street and Silverdale
- South Staffordshire: Codsall North, Great Wyrley and Landywood
- Staffordshire Moorlands: Caverswall
- Tamworth: Glascote and Armington
Dr Johnny McMahon, Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: “We are targeting testing where it is needed most and are encouraging everyone who lives in a hotspot to get tested.
“We are also looking to roll out more rapid covid tests across the county, but these are currently limited and it will take some weeks to scale up the operation.
“We’re busy recruiting (click on the word recruiting for details) people to help with these tests, which will eventually see up to 80,000 people in the county tested every single week.”
Staffordshire, which moves into the Very Highest Alert tier on Wednesday, is one of 66 authorities to sign up to the rapid covid testing programme.
Sites in Staffordshire that are offering the rapid covid tests over the next few days can be found on the following link https://staffordshire.zipporah.co.uk/TrackAndTrace/
The list is updated as covid hotspots are reviewed.
Dr Richard Harling, Director of Health Care, said: “Getting tested if you have symptoms or if you are asked to do so because you live in a covid hotspot, together with the following the rules, is the best way to stop the spread of infection, get some restrictions lifted and get back some of the freedoms we once enjoyed.”
Further details of the Very High Alert restrictions and testing can be found at www.stafordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus.
People with symptoms should book a test through the national portal at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by phoning 119