Mass covid testing in Calderdale: Leader says plan is aimed at people most at risk

It was announced that more than half a million such tests – the kind being used in a mass testing pilot in Liverpool – would be sent out by NHS Test and Trace to the borough’s health leaders this week.

Calderdale is among the latest cohort of more than 60 locations to benefit.

The initial 600,000 batch will be followed by a weekly allocation of lateral flow antigen tests.

Councillor Tim Swift, Calderdale Council’s leader, said: “Testing is one of the most important things we can do to help get COVID-19 under control. We have had an effective testing approach in place for a while in Calderdale, which the new rapid testing will add to.

“At this stage, we don’t intend to test everyone in the borough – we plan to take a more targeted approach to help people most at risk and to ensure the greatest benefit. We plan to focus rapid testing on people whose jobs or circumstances put them at higher risk of being exposed to COVID-19, who wouldn’t be eligible for a test under the current system.

“We are developing a plan to roll out rapid testing in Calderdale and will provide updates as soon as possible,” added Coun Swift (Lab, Town)”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has now written to all leaders of upper-tier local authorities to confirm that all directors of public health will be offered the weekly allocation, equivalent to 10 per cent of their population.

Directors of public health were prioritised for the first phase of rapid community testing based on the local prevalence of Covid-19 and expressions of interest to the Department for Health and Social Care.

Lateral flow tests, with a turnaround time of under an hour, have been made available since Friday for people who live and work in Liverpool and do not have symptoms.

Announcing the roll-out, Mr Hancock said: “I wrote to the directors of public health of all local authorities in England saying we can make available these brilliant new lateral flow tests that give results in 15 minutes, and we can make them available to directors of public health right across the country.”