Symptom-free test centre opening at Shrewsbury's Theatre Seven
A new symptom-free Covid-19 rapid testing centre will open its doors at Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn next week.
The facility will open on Tuesday, March 23, from 8am-4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone who does not have coronavirus symptoms. The rapid lateral flow tests usually deliver results within 30 minutes.
Rapid home testing kits will also be available for people to collect from Theatre Severn on the above days.
Anyone who collects a home testing kit is being asked to complete a test on site to gain an understanding of how they work.
As with the other testing sites at Bridgnorth Community Centre, Raven House in Market Drayton and The Victoria Centre in Oswestry, it will operate on a walk-in basis, with no need to book.
These testing centres are for people who do not have Covid-19 symptoms.
Anyone with symptoms, including a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of sense of taste or smell should visit gov.uk/coronavirus or call 119 to book a PCR test at one of the county’s symptomatic-people test centres.
Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said: “Testing of symptom-free people is really vital at the minute, as we prepare for the gradual reopening of businesses and services.
“We need any way we can to cut the chains of transmission to help us reduce the risk of Covid-19 rates increasing again. Even if you have no symptoms, you could still be spreading the virus – and a mild illness for you could be a life-threatening disease for someone else.
“By coming forward for a test, you’ll be helping us to track down the virus and stop it from being passed on. And if you test positive, it’s really important that you self-isolate for 10 days, and that your close contacts self-isolate too. That’s the only way we’ll be able to break the chain of transmission.”
Symptom-free tests are point of care tests, so don’t need to be processed in a lab. Results are ready quickly – from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Residents will receive their test result by text or email soon after they leave the test centre.
