Public urged to be aware of changes to Coventry's Covid-19 test centres - The Coventry Observer

Public urged to be aware of changes to Coventry's Covid-19 test centres

Coventry Editorial 13th Jan, 2021 Updated: 13th Jan, 2021   0

THERE will be changes to Coventry’s community Covid testing sites.

The one in the city centre will move to a new home at the Transport Museum from Coventry University’s Priory Building where it opened last month.

It will make the site even more central and within a short walk of city centre car parks and Pool Meadow bus station.

The University site will close to the public at 6.30pm tomorrow (Thursday, January 14) , with the first tests being carried out at the new location at 8am on Friday (January 15) to ensure there is no disruption to the public.




The new centre will have 16 testing booths and be capable of carrying out around 1,300 tests every.

Also, two new Covid-19 community testing sites are to open in the city, and there are already plans to add more in the coming days.


They will give thousands of people easy access to the Lateral Flow Tests – seen as a key weapon in slowing the spread of the virus.

The two latest locations are the Indian Community Centre in Foleshill and the Moat House Leisure and neighbourhood Centre in Henley.

Both are due to open on Monday (January 18). Each will have eight testing booths and be capable of carrying out almost 900 tests a day.

Key workers and those who cannot work from home are being urged to take regular tests to make sure they are not passing the virus on to colleagues, members of the public and loved ones.

Coventry City Council leader Coun George Duggins said: “We would like to thank Coventry University for their generous gesture in allowing us to use their building so we could launch our Lateral Flow Testing, community testing programme.

“It has been a great success and we have seen almost 10,000 tests completed by people who live or work in the city in the few weeks it was opened, which helped a lot of people in the run-up to and over the festive period.

“However, we knew it was always temporary and we are delighted that our Transport Museum has now given its backing to give us an even more central site that is known by everyone.”

Coun Duggins added the council was grateful to Culture Coventry for making the Transport Museum – currently closed to the public – available.

“We are working with our partners to open even more centres right in the hearts of our communities and our aim is to make it as simple as possible for everyone to be able to take a test and ensure they are not unknowingly passing the virus on to their loved ones.”

Community testing is for anyone who is not showing symptoms of coronavirus and there is no need to book an appointment.

The test site involves a Lateral Flow Test where people who attend are guided through a process to take swabs from inside the nose and the back of the throat. People carry out their own swabs and results are usually back in under an hour.

People arriving will be asked for a form of ID, and a socially distanced queueing system will be in place.

The facility is open from 8am to 6.30pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm at weekends.

Anyone with any of the main Covid symptoms should seek a test in the normal way – by dialling 119 or by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Liz Gaulton, Director of Public Health, added: “These tests really are vital in helping us to contain Covid-19. They are quick and easy and give very fast results.

“Even if you are symptom-free, you could still be carrying the virus, so if you are not able to self-isolate and maybe need to work or care for a relative, the test will give you peace of mind.”

To find out more about testing, coronavirus or local restrictions and support, visit www.coventry.gov.uk/coronavirus.

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