Mass Covid-19 testing to start in Wirral today

SMART Testing - which means Systematic, Meaningful, Asymptomatic, Repeated Testing - is for people who do not have symptoms and taking place at the following venues:

The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, open seven days a week 10am to 7pm. The last test is at 6.30pm.

Greasby Library, open seven days a week 10am to 7pm. The last test is at 6.30pm.

Eastham Library, open seven days a week 10am to 7pm.  The last test is at 6.30pm.

Birkenhead Market, open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. The last test is at 4.30pm. Closed Sunday.

The army will provide support with initial set up at the sites.

A council spokesperson said: "No booking is required in the first week of testing but you will need a mobile number or email address to register when you arrive.

"If you do not have a mobile number or email address you will be asked to call 119 to get your results."

The scheme was piloted in Liverpool and is now being rolled out to the other boroughs in Liverpool City Region - which includes Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. It is described as another positive step forward in the area’s efforts to tackle COVID-19.

Councillor Janette Williamson, Leader of Wirral Council said: "I'm hugely grateful for the support of the army in helping us to bring symptom-free testing to Wirral.

"This testing, delivered across four testing centres, will help us to limit the spread of Covid-19 in our communit

"Wirral has done so well to reduce the spread of COVID-19 over the last few months and no-one wants to see our numbers creep back up again over Christmas and into the New Year.

"By being able to offer large scale symptom-free testing to our entire population we will hopefully be able to keep the rate of infection down, prevent more people from becoming unwell, protect our most vulnerable and stop our health services from being overwhelmed.

"This is a great opportunity for us all to fight back against this virus and stop its spread in the community, I would urge anyone who does not have symptoms to get a test."

Director of public health for Wirral Julie Webster said: "While it will help pave the way toward a return to normality, community testing will only be effective if we continue to wear a face covering, regularly wash our hands and keep a safe distance from others.

"We have learned a lot from Liverpool and would particularly like to see people who work in retail, hospitality, education and the trades taking this opportunity to have a test.

"The more bus drivers, hairdressers, beauty therapists and all those who make up the non-clinical frontline get involved the better our chances will be to keep Wirral well."

For more information on symptom free testing, and opening times, visit www.wirral.gov.uk/test.

If you visit a symptom-free testing centre and test positive you must self-isolate.  Guidance and support to do so is available here: www.wirral.gov.uk/covidpayment

Wirral Council is recruiting staff to operate the testing sites, and to administer the tests to the residents who attend. More information and an application form for these temporary roles is available here: www.wirral.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/job-vacancies/temporary-vacancies-support-mass-covid-19-testing

Covid-19 infection rates continue to fall across the city region’s 1.6 million people, now standing at less than 100 per 100,000 people. At their peak in October rates were around 700 per 100,000.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: "It is fantastic news that the trailblazing Liverpool testing pilot is being expanded to serve the wider region.

"With up to a third of individuals with coronavirus showing no symptoms, regular community testing will help identify those who are infectious, but unaware that they might be spreading the disease, so that they can isolate and protect others.

"This pilot will continue to inform our plans for community testing across the country in the highest risk areas, which we are working to roll out as quickly as possible.

"I urge all those living in the Liverpool City Region to come forward and get tested.”

In a joint statement, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Leaders of the five Local Authorities - Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral – said: "Effective testing is absolutely vital to our efforts to containing the virus, protecting our NHS and saving lives.

"Cases of Covid-19 continue to fall across the city region because of the sacrifices we have all made and because people have come forward to get tested.

"But, while we enjoy some extra freedoms under Tier 2, we cannot afford to be complacent for one second.

"We all want to get back to a normal life as soon as possible, but until the vaccine has been fully rolled out there are three things we must all continue to do.

"So please: Get tested, regularly. Self-isolate if you test positive or have symptoms. And, even if you test negative, follow the rules – hands, face, space."

Director of testing and mass vaccination for Cheshire & Merseyside, Terry Whalley, said: "This is a huge opportunity for the Liverpool City Region as we continue to lead the way on testing those without symptoms, which I believe have made and will make a real difference to the way we live with Covid-19 while we roll out an effective vaccine.

"The success of repeat, targeted testing in Liverpool over the last month has shown that we can drive down the R-number and identify positive cases in people who had no idea they were carrying and potentially spreading the virus.

"The extension of specific, meaningful testing could lead to some very real benefits for all of us as we seek to return to a more normal way of life going into 2021.

"Through all this additional carefully targeted testing we could see people who continue to test negative being more able to carry on with normal activities, such as attending a football match or visiting elderly relatives.

"We have a real chance here to further prove that additional testing of those without symptoms can protect lives and livelihoods and I am very proud that Liverpool City Region is at the forefront of this work.”