More half-hour tests available in Northampton to sniff out Covid-cases with no symptoms

Another community Lateral Flow Device test centre has opened in Northampton to identify those who may be carrying the Covid-19 virus but don't know it.

Danes Camp Leisure Centre in Northampton — which closed its doors during lockdown — will used for the centre, operated by Trilogy Leisure.

Health chiefs say the location is ideal for staff from business parks between Northampton and South Northants in addition to workers across Northampton

and surrounding areas.

Similar units opened last month at University of Northampton and in Corby.

Lateral Flow Device testing delivers results in around 30 minutes for people with no Covid-19 symptoms. The aim is to identify the one in three people who may be infectious without being aware.

Dr Rhosyn Harris, Consultant in Public Health at Northamptonshire County Council said: “We know from our existing sites that regular testing of those without symptoms helps us identify a number of positive cases and cut the transmission by isolating those individuals.

"It also provides workforces some reassurance that workers are less likely to transmit the virus without knowing.”

The new site will be open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 8pm, plus 9am to 1pm at weekends.

Critics of the Lateral Flow Device tests claim they fail to pick up enough positive cases.

But health chiefs insist a negative test result is not an absolute guarantee that you do not have Covid-19 — but the devices will pick up around one in three asymptomatic cases that would have otherwise gone undetected.

Testing slots must be booked online HERE with priority given to those essential workers in health or social care, transportation, education or childcare, essential shop, supermarkets or financial services, food production or processing, warehousing, packing or distribution, public sector workers including waste, bin collections, security, construction, utilities or communications and agency workers.

Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms needs to book a PCN test at one of Northamptonshire's permanent or mobile units by calling 119 or online HERE.