Kettering and Rushden to get new Covid Lateral Flow Device testing sites

Two new Lateral Flow Device testing sites have been launched giving residents in Kettering and Rushden access to a community testing site.

A 'pop-up' community Lateral Flow Device Testing Centre has opened at Hall Park, Rushden Hall, today (Thursday), the first of its kind within Northamptonshire.

In addition, a new Community Lateral Flow Device testing site has also launching today at North Pavilion, Kettering, which will also act as a click and collect site.

Dr Rhosyn Harris, consultant in public health at North and West Northamptonshire Councils said: “The opening of these two new Lateral Flow Device test sites means that there is now a community testing site available in each area of the county.

“Residents of Northamptonshire now have a wide choice of access to LFD testing.

"In addition to the community testing sites, LFT testing is available in many workplace settings, to those in secondary, further and higher education and their households and bubbles, and from pharmacy click and collect sites.

"Alongside the vaccination roll out, testing provides us with another effective tool in beating the virus.

"Regular testing helps us detect the one in three people who may have the virus without showing symptoms, and support those individuals to self-isolate.”

The Rushden pop-up testing centre will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30am to 10am and 3.30pm to 7.30pm, providing a wide variety of testing slots.

The site will offer testing for both pre-booked and walk-in appointments as well as being a collection point for test kit orders. Click here to book a slot in Rushden. North Park Pavilion, North Park Drive in Kettering will also act as a click and collect site as well as a testing venue and will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30am to 10am and 3.30pm to 7.30pm for pre-booked test slots. Click here to book a slot in Kettering. Anyone in England who does not have symptoms can get regular rapid Lateral Flow Device tests to check for coronavirus. Those that are eligible to collect tests to complete at home, will be able to collect these from this venue.

If you attend or work at a school, college or nursery you can get rapid tests through school, college or nursery.

Lateral Flow Device testing is otherwise known as rapid testing, and is used in people who do not have symptoms of Covid-19.

The aim is to identify the one in three people who may be infectious without being aware, in order to reduce spread of the virus.

Rapid testing enables swift action to be taken to protect colleagues and family members of those who test positive with Covid-19 and to reduce any onward risk of transmission.

Each test involves a swab of the mouth and nose and provides a result within 30 minutes.

Although anyone can now get regular testing, it is advised that people unable to work from home and/or those who are visiting hospitality or retail settings take up the opportunity to get tested on a twice-weekly basis to help to reduce the spread of the virus.