RAPID testing is now available for people without symptoms and is being supported by more than 100 soldiers. The rapid testing sites are primarily aimed for public-facing workers who cannot work from home and is ran by military personnel and public sector staff, with one having opened at Oldham Community Leisure Centre. The testing centre on Middleton Road is open Monday to Saturday from 7am until 7pm, but is closed for one hour between noon and 1pm. If you go to the test centre, upon your arrival, you will be greeted at the front desk where you will be given an NHS card with barcodes for the test and you will be told how to fill out your details on the forms.
Corporal Andrew Hedges is pictured at the rapid testing centre which has opened at the Oldham Community Leisure Centre and is staffed by the army
A year ago I would not have expected to have been standing in front of a masked uniformed soldier while he mixed a vial containing some of my saliva.
But this is 2021, and rapid coronavirus testing for people without symptoms is set to become a normal part of life in Oldham.
The council and British army have teamed up to roll out four new testing sites which will offer lateral flow tests to residents who cannot work from home, similar to the mass testing programme which began in Liverpool in November.
Coronavirus rapid testing for people without symptoms has started in Oldham, supported by more than 100 soldiers.
The high profile initiative is primarily aimed for public-facing workers who cannot work from home.
This asymptomatic testing will play an important part in Oldham’s continuing attempts to contain, manage and ultimately defeat Coronavirus.
Military personnel will work alongside public sector staff to test at four sites:
• Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre, High St, Shaw
• Failsworth Town Hall - Oldham Road, Failsworth
• Oldham Community Leisure Centre, Middleton Road, Oldham town centre
• Uppermill Civic Hall - Lee Street, Uppermill, Saddleworth
The council stress no appointment is necessary, the tests are free and results are back within the hour.
The number of positive Covid cases in Oldham has fallen again.
The latest statistics show that the 7-day rate in the borough is now at 318 (per 100,000 population).
That is a drop of 15.6% from the last comparable 7 day period.
It s a long way from the peak of infections in November 2020 when the 7-day rate rose to over 800.
The data also shows that the under 60s are still most likely to become infected.
The figures come as the Government announced that 4,062,501 people in the UK have received at least a first dose of a Covid vaccine.
However, Dr Andrew Furber, North West Regional Director of Public Health at Public Health England warned against complacency asked the public to follow the rules and stay home as much as possible to help save lives.
This is where and when you can get a rapid coronavirus test in Oldham from Monday
The tests aim to identify people with the virus who haven t got symptoms
The tests are for key workers and staff who find it difficult to social distance at work (Image: Andrew Gentry)
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