A new walk-through coronavirus (COVID-19) testing facility has opened for people to book appointments at 1 Ewart Place, E3 5EQ as part of the government’s drive to continue to improve the accessibility of COVID-19 testing for local communities.
Testing at this site is available for those with symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
COVID-19 testing is also available for those asked to get a test, which could be by NHS Test and Trace if they’re a close contact of a positive case, by a clinician or their local authority, by a testing pilot or via their work. Instead of self-isolating, those who are fully vaccinated and under 18s identified as close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases are advised to get a free PCR test as soon as possible.
Free, twice-weekly rapid testing is available to everyone in England without symptoms. Getting tested will be critical to control the virus as society reopens, including the spread of variants.
Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. The government is committed to making it even easier to get tested and to reducing the time it takes to receive test results.
The new site is situated so it is easily accessible without a car. Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practicing good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout, including while travelling to and from the testing centre.
Anyone attending an appointment at a walk-through test site will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely, with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
Testing at the new site will start from today, Friday 03 September, with appointments made available each day.
Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them trace their contacts. This will help to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission.
Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 10 days if they are not fully vaccinated to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.
Health Minister, Lord Bethell, said:
“We have built the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history to ensure that everyone can get tested for COVID-19 regularly.
“The UK is now established as a genuine testing juggernaut, performing more tests than any comparable European country, which is helping to break chains of transmission, save lives and detect variants of concern.
“New walk-in sites like this one make it even easier to get a test no matter where you live. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or are asked or advised to take a test, I urge you to book one today, to protect others and stop the spread of the virus.”
