New walk in coronavirus test centre set to open in Chester on Saturday

People with COVID-19 symptoms will have access to a new testing site which opens in the centre of Chester later this week.

The new testing site will open at Little Roodee car park on Saturday 5 September, 10am – 5pm.

From Sunday 6 September, the testing site will be open seven days a week, 8am-8pm.

The facility is ‘primarily for local people’ and ‘particularly for those who do not drive and who may previously have found it difficult to access testing.’ Cheshire West and Chester Council has said.

Those attending ‘must’ arrive on foot or by cycle and there is no free car parking available.

If people do choose to drive, they will need to park at a location nearby and walk onto the site.

Residents who wish to park on the remainder of the Little Roodee car park will need to pay the standard tariff.

People with COVID-19 symptoms are advised not to use public transport and wear a face covering, as well as bringing some form of ID.

Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Councillor Louise Gittins said: “Our residents can already use existing regional and mobile testing units, but this local testing site makes it even easier for people who live in Chester to get tested.

“It offers good access for those who live in the city centre and will be open for several months to ensure that accessible testing is continually available to people.

The location of this site and others we have planned have been identified by Council staff in consultation with elected members, considering local rates of car ownership, deprivation data, and the availability of suitable sites. We hope to announce more local testing sites in our borough shortly.”

“We have been working very closely with colleagues in the NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside and the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure the borough has the most accessible testing facilities for our residents when and where they need them.

“We will continue to work closely with key partners to ensure that all of the testing availability is used in the best possible way to help keep people safe as we look to support the recovery of our area and the local economy.”

Members of the public will be able to pre-book test appointments online through the existing national portal nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

People also have the option to turn up for a free ‘walk up’ test, without booking, although there may be a short wait. Users will be asked to self-swab when attending. A step-by-step guide to attending a Local Testing Site can be viewed here.

A regional drive through COVID-19 testing centre has opened in Deeside in June, the site is located next to Toyota’s engine manufacturing plant at Deeside Industrial Estate.

People can also order home testing kits. Please visit the GOV.UK website for more information.

Protect yourself, your family and friends, by getting a coronavirus test if you have COVID-19 symptoms:- a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. Protect your community by self-isolating for 10 days if you have symptoms (or a positive test result), or 14 days if alerted to do so by a contact tracer.