More rapid Covid-19 tests to be rolled out across Rochdale

Covid-19 drive through test

Mass testing for coronavirus will be rolled out to 67 more areas in England this week, including the Rochdale borough, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed.

Each will receive a batch of 10,000 rapid-turnaround antigen lateral flow devices as part of a new pilot to enable them to start testing priority groups.

In total, over half a million tests will be sent out to local public health leaders across the country.

Directors of public health will determine how to prioritise the allocation of these new tests, based on the specific needs of their communities, and will determine how people in the local area are tested. They will be supported by NHS Test and Trace to expand testing programmes in their area through access to training and clinical and operational guidance.

This initial 600,000 batch will then be followed up with a weekly allocation of lateral flow antigen tests. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has now written to all upper-tier local authority leaders, confirming that all directors of public health will be offered this weekly allocation, equivalent to 10% of their population.

The government says proactively testing asymptomatic individuals will help identify those who unknowingly have the virus and enable those who test positive and their contacts to self-isolate, which can help drive down the R rate locally and save lives.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “Last week we rolled out mass testing in Liverpool using new, rapid technology so we can detect this virus quicker than ever before, even in people who don’t have symptoms. Mass testing is a vital tool to help us control this virus and get life more normal.

“I am delighted to say 10,000 of these tests will now be sent out by NHS Test and Trace to over 50 directors of public health as part of our asymptomatic testing strategy. I want to thank all directors of public health for their support and efforts over the past months to help us tackle this virus, bring it under control and get the country back to what we love doing.”

This rollout will further develop the evidence base for how testing with fast, reliable COVID-19 tests can be delivered at scale. 

This innovative new testing technology – which is already being rolled out as part of whole-city testing in Liverpool that began on Friday – can provide results within an hour without needing to be processed in a lab.

Every local authority in Greater Manchester; Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan, will also receive tests for their residents.

Anyone who tests positive must self-isolate along with their household immediately and their contacts will be traced. Eligible individuals who test positive – and contacts who are required to self-isolate – will be entitled to the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment in the same way as a regular swab test ordered through NHS Test and Trace.

Those who test negative will need to continue to follow all national guidance.