by Wickhambrook Parish Clerk
Testing is a key part of the national response, with over 8,000 people already tested for Covid-19 in Suffolk, with the testing facility at Copdock being well-used.
The mobile testing units are being mobilised by the Ministry of Defence and are enabling more people to be tested across Suffolk. These are particularly useful for those who cannot easily access the testing facility at Copdock.
Confirmed locations for mobile testing units in Suffolk are:
- Lowestoft (from Wednesday 29 Apr onwards)
- Newmarket (From Tuesday 5 May – Thursday 7 May, inclusive)
- The Suffolk Resilience Forum, comprising of the Suffolk’s NHS, Emergency and Public Services, is currently finalising details for Eye and Leiston, with plans for further sites in the coming weeks.
- People are advised to keep checking www.suffolk.gov.uk/testing for the latest locations to be announced.
- Mobile testing units are also arriving in surrounding counties at locations such as Diss, Thetford and Clacton, Harwich.
To book a test at one of the centres, eligible people must submit their details, via either:
- Self-referral system on the gov.uk website www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test
- Employer referral system (contact your employer)
Those eligible for testing include:
- all essential workers including NHS and social care workers with symptoms (see the full list of essential workers)
- anyone over 65 with symptoms
- anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home (for example, construction workers, shop workers, emergency plumbers and delivery drivers)
- anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus and lives with any of those identified above
- NHS workers and patients without symptoms, in line with NHS England guidance
Full guidance on the government’s testing programme and eligibility can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested