Derbyshire to roll out community Covid testing before Christmas

Plans have already been drawn up and military support is in place to enable community testing to start in Derbyshire from December 21.

The testing will be for people who do not have symptoms and will enable Derbyshire’s public health team to understand the prevalence of people who are infected but without symptoms, support those who have Covid to self-isolate and to drive infection rates down further in the county.

Testing will begin in Swadlincote in South Derbyshire with Bolsover and Amber Valley to follow shortly afterwards.

The details of locations will be worked through with the military team over the coming days.

In mid to late January and February testing is also expected to be carried out in Bakewell and Chesterfield.

In phase three, from March onwards, community testing will target areas with outbreaks or rising infection rates including workplaces and schools.

Alongside the test people will be offered advice and help with financial support that they may be entitled to if they need to self-isolate and wider benefits.

Dean Wallace, director of public health at Derbyshire County Council, said: “We put ourselves forward to be one of the first areas in the country to deliver community testing because we want to improve life for Derbyshire people.

“Community testing has a big role to play in driving infection rates down but it only works as part of a whole suite of measures including effective contact tracing, following the guidance around socialising and self isolation and the roll-out of the vaccine.

“Getting tested doesn’t mean people can stop social distancing, wearing masks or washing their hands, but it does help to make the activities they are undertaking safer.

“People who come to be tested will be given one of the rapid lateral flow tests which give results in about 15 minutes.

"If they test positive they will then be given a further test to confirm the result.

“By getting tested, even if you don’t have symptoms, you are doing the right thing and ultimately helping people to stay well, businesses to stay open, children to stay in school and hospitals to have the capacity to treat other illness like cancer.

"As a resident of Derbyshire I call on everyone who has the opportunity to get a test to take it, be part of this and keep showing that amazing Derbyshire spirit.”

Barry Lewis, county council leader, added: “This is a huge step forward for Derbyshire and an opportunity for us to bring down infection rates in the county and move into the lower tiers of restriction that give us more freedoms.

“I know that some people will be disappointed that community testing isn’t available in their area immediately.

"Derbyshire is a huge county, unlike centralised cities like Liverpool, and we need a phased approach to make this work.”

Other established methods of testing for people with symptoms will continue alongside community testing and people who have a high temperature, continuous cough or have lost their sense of small or taste should book a test online.

Details of the community testing sites and how people can attend them will be released shortly.