Three new COVID-19 Local Testing Sites to open in the borough

Three new COVID-19 local testing sites will open in West Cheshire within the next two weeks, enabling residents with Coronavirus symptoms to book a test.

The sites in Ellesmere Port, Frodsham and Blacon are walk-through sites and will be open from 8am-8pm, seven days a week.

The Ellesmere Port site is located on Wellington Road car park. Installation has started today, Monday, and the site will start offering tests in the next few days.

The Frodsham site will be located at the back of Frodsham Leisure Centre, in Princeway, and the Blacon site will be located in the Sealand Road Park and Ride car park. Work is expected to start on these sites within the next two weeks.

Residents with symptoms can book an appointment at the new sites on the national portal at: www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. The symptoms of COVID-19 are a new continuous cough, a fever, or a loss or change in sense of taste and smell.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “This is good news for our communities in Ellesmere Port, Frodsham and Blacon. The new sites are closer to home for residents, which will mean they won’t have to travel long distances to get tested as has been the case in some circumstances in recent months.

“It is important that residents who have COVID-19 symptoms go and get a test for their own peace of mind and, perhaps more crucially, so that they and their families can find out whether they need to self-isolate to protect others or whether they are free to return to work or education.

“Getting tested is a really important way you can play your part to turn this around, reduce the infection rate and help us to get out of restrictions.”

Visitors to these local testing sites will be required to self-swab the back of their own throats and their noses and will receive guidance and instruction from staff.

They will need to wear a face covering at the sites and keep a two-metre social distance from others.

Residents who have been in contact with someone who has had COVID-19 symptoms do not need to go for a test unless they have symptoms, or have been advised to do so by a health professional or the Test and Trace Service.

People who have already tested positive for COVID-19 and are now feeling better do not need to get re-tested.

The sites will be open for the foreseeable future on a rolling basis.

Other local testing sites in the borough are in the Little Roodee car park in Chester, off Queensway in Winsford and off Leicester Street in Northwich.

A satellite testing centre is at the Countess of Chester Hospital, which provides swabbing for health and social care staff.