Mobile coronavirus testing units to become common sight in Calderdale confirms health chief

Sites across the borough for mobile units are being identified with local data informing where and when they will appear, said Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, Deborah Harkins.

Ms Harkins said the mobile units were an important part of the national testing programme to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic and the council was looking at potential temporary testing sites ready for increased testing.

Testing is being stepped up as part of the council’s planned response to COVID-19 and follows figures released last week showing Calderdale in the top 20 for highest new coronavirus (Covid-19) infection rates across the UK.

Those figures, for the seven days to July 11, based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two), put Calderdale in 17th place nationwide.

Ms Harkins said today: “As in other places across the country, Calderdale will be regularly hosting temporary mobile testing sites over the coming months.

“This is because the virus is still within communities and will remain for the foreseeable future, as restrictions continue to be eased.

“It is part of our planned response, through Calderdale’s local Outbreak Prevention and Control Plan, to increase testing and look at potential temporary testing sites across the borough,” she said.

As well as the temporary testing unit being run with the help of military personnel at Mixenden Community Centre, Halifax, from last Friday until today (July 21), the council has other sites, said Ms Harkins.

“In addition to the temporary testing unit in Mixenden, we currently have sites in Todmorden and King Cross.

“We are developing mobile testing sites right across the borough, so people can expect to see other mobile testing stations in Calderdale in the coming weeks and months.

“Local data on COVID-19 cases, testing rates and use of particular testing sites will determine where and how often to locate mobile testing units in the future,” she said.

Other measures taken under the plan include supporting high-risk occupational groups, including care workers, taxi drivers and shop workers, identifying, visiting and supporting high risk workplaces including food processing factories, and working closely with schools, places of worship, places receiving visitors and the hospitality industry.

The council is also bidding to test everyone in every care home – staff and residents – every two weeks to prevent outbreaks.

From the start of July, Calderdale, which as an authority had a lower number of cases than other parts of West Yorkshire, had increased testing by 50 per cent over the first 14 days.

People have been able to use the testing centres if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and have booked their test on the national system, which can be done on the NHS website – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-an-antigen-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/ – and a link to this is available with more information on the council’s website (calderdale.gov.uk).

Access to the testing unit is by booking only.

Following the Government’s announcement that councils will be given local powers to help combat COVID-19 outbreaks, the authority is looking into this closer to better understand the impact new powers will have.