Twice-weekly testing recommended for all by council health chief
Twice-weekly coronavirus testing will be recommended for everyone regardless of symptoms or vaccination status, a council health chief has said.
Telford & Wrekin public health director Liz Noakes said people need to continue taking social distancing precautions despite the gradual relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
She told the borough’s health scrutiny committee that testing centres and home swab kits remained available and the public would be encouraged to use them as businesses, events and social life reopens.
Ms Noakes was answering questions after updating members on the coronavirus situation.
She said Telford & Wrekin’s Covid-19 infection rate was “bouncing around 30 to 35” cases per 100,000 of population and was logged at just under 36 last week.
Sandwell, on 80, had the highest rate in the West Midlands, while the English average was 55.
“Nearly 86,000” over-16s – 55.1 per cent of the total – had received at least their first vaccination dose in Telford and Wrekin, she added, putting the borough just above the English average of 54.8 per cent.
Ms Noakes added that her team was aware of “hesitancy some communities feel in terms of being vaccinated”, and was looking to address this.
Chairman Derek White asked: “As we are approaching the opening up of many of the areas, is there anything special the council will be doing or any messages we will be sending out to make sure people at least keep distances, cover their mouths, etc?”
Ms Noakes said the familiar “Hands, Face, Space” message should continue.
“The other thing, as we open up, we will recommend is that people get tested twice a week through lateral-flow tests,” she added.
Lateral-flow Covid-19 tests use nose and mouth swabs and usually return a result within half an hour.
“We have our council-run testing sites but you can also collect test kits from those sites and, indeed, from the PCR, the symptomatic testing site in the afternoon,” Ms Noakes added.
“That is something we will be promoting to make sure people are taking appropriate preventative action in opening up.”
Councillor White asked whether this message would be aimed at “people who have not been vaccinated, or everyone”.
Ms Noakes said it would cover everyone.
More information, including details about the council and NHS Test and Trace testing sites, is available at telford.gov.uk/coronavirus
Advice there recommends twice-weekly testing at home for people with no Covid-19 symptoms “especially if you are in a household with school-aged children and/or need to go to work”.
It adds: “One in three people with coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others.”
