Shropshire pharmacy group offering rapid Covid tests

The tests are available for people who cannot work from home, who live or work in Shropshire and who do not have any symptoms of Covid-19.

The speedy tests can turn around results within 30 minutes, without the need for processing the swabs in a lab.

The MSN & Lunts Pharmacy Group has branches in Shrewsbury, Craven Arms, Pontesbury and Highley, near Bridgnorth, which are now providing the service.

Helen Whitehouse, operations manager, said: "Our staff at the MSN & Lunts Group have been working hard alongside their normal pharmaceutical services to carry out training and adapt the pharmacy to enable this service to be delivered as safely and swiftly as possible with the aim to reducing the spread of coronavirus.

"Anybody can take the test, however, it is aimed at key workers ​and people who cannot work from home with the recommendation at two tests taken per week. ​

"The criteria is that you either live or work in Shropshire.

"The use of lateral flow tests could significantly improve the detection of positive cases so that people can isolate and prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"Asymptomatic testing will help protect people at high risk, find the virus and help us to get back to as normal a life as possible."

The tests are not suitable for people with Covid-19 symptoms.

Patients can book an appointment through an automated booking system​ which can be accessed via www.1centralhealth.co.uk/shropshirelft

The individual pharmacies will control the days and times that they will accept patients.

Once booked, patients will receive instructions from a test operative when they get to the pharmacy.

They will then do the test themselves within a consultation room, which should only take a few minutes, and the result will be given to the patient after 30 minutes once they have left the pharmacy.

If the test is positive the person will be asked to self-isolate for 10 days in line with normal NHS Test & Trace procedures.