Walk-through Covid-19 testing site opening in Heywood

A new indoor walk-through coronavirus testing site is opening in Heywood to help stop the spread of the virus.

The facility at Heywood Civic Centre opens on Wednesday 26 August and will be open seven days a week between 8am and 8pm.

Testing sites in Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood are open to anyone who would like a coronavirus test. You do not need symptoms to attend.

The Heywood site, which opens initially for eight weeks, can carry out over 400 tests each day. Staff can provide a private testing bay for anyone wishing to complete their test in complete privacy.

The site opens in addition to the site behind Rochdale town hall and in Market Street car park in Middleton. The sites have completed 13,444 tests to date.

Councillor Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Increasing numbers of people who are testing positive for coronavirus have no symptoms so we encourage everyone to get tested. We need to identify who has the virus so we can stop it spreading. If you live in Heywood, make the most of this facility and book your test today.”

Testing in the borough of Rochdale has so far resulted in 32,859 tests being carried out.

The testing centres operate seven days a week and you must arrive on foot, by bike or in a car with members of your own household. You cannot be tested if you have used public transport to get to the site.  

You need to take your confirmation email with you to the site, along with your personal identification. Face coverings must also be worn at all times.

You can book a test on the day you wish to be tested or the day before.

To book a test call the free phone line 0808 1964 100 or visit: 

• nhs.uk/coronavirus

The borough of Rochdale, along with the whole of Greater Manchester, is currently living under local restrictions. This means residents must not meet indoors at home or in a private garden with people outside their household. They must also not socialise indoors in public places with people outside their household.

In addition to the national measures, the council issued additional guidance on 17 July that includes:

• Wear face coverings in public, as much as possible
• Keep two metres apart, at all times
• Avoid physical contact with anyone outside your own household, including shaking hands or hugging
• Get tested even if you don’t have symptoms and isolate if you are told to do so

Support is available to residents via the Rochdale Borough Council coronavirus helpline open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Call 01706 923685.