Temporary testing site to open in Rochdale

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

High Street car park, off St Mary’s Gate

A temporary coronavirus mobile testing unit is opening in Rochdale on Monday 21 September.

The testing unit will be open on Monday 21, Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September between 10.30am and 3.30pm.

It will be located on High Street car park, off St Mary’s Gate behind the Dunelm store and is open to anyone with coronavirus symptoms.

Tests must be booked, you cannot just turn up on the day. Appointments can be made the evening before your test or on the day of your test. Ring 119 or visit nhs.uk/coronavirus to book your test. If this site is not offered initially please keep checking.

Councillor Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Finding positive cases is the best way for us to stop the spread of the virus across our borough.

“Unfortunately central government asked us to close our booking helpline which we had set up to make booking easier for our residents but we urge our residents to keep trying with the online national system.”

Residents can also book tests at testing centres at Rochdale Town Hall, Heywood Civic Centre and Market Place car park in Middleton. You must book an appointment and you must have symptoms. These sites are open 8am-8pm, seven days week.

You must walk, cycle or drive to your test and avoid public transport. Face coverings must also be worn at all times.

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.