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Wirral Council has closed queues for symptom-free COVID-19 testing sites throughout the borough.
In a statement, Wirral Council said, “Due to incredible demand we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily close the queues at our symptom-free testing sites today in Wirral.”
Director of Public Health for Wirral Julie Webster said, “Unfortunately, we have had to take the difficult decision to close the queues early at our symptom-free testing centres in Wirral today.“Our sites have experienced incredible demand for symptom-free testing this week and we are now seeing many people from outside of the area coming to Wirral to access the testing centres. This is adding to what was already high demand and has resulted in us taking the difficult decision to close early today to ensure we can process tests for the people who have already been queuing for some time.
“We have also taken a decision to close the Birkenhead Market symptom-free testing centre from today until the New Year. The staff will be re-distributed to the Floral Pavilion site so that it can deliver as many tests as possible over the festive period. This short break will enable us to review how best to deliver symptom-free testing in the heart of Birkenhead in 2021.
“Our symptom-free testing was launched in early December to help identify those people who did not know they had COVID-19. It has helped us to identify more than 250 people who were unknowingly positive and enabled them to self-isolate and protect their loved ones and others. Testing has been hugely embraced by the population of Wirral and we would like to thank all of the staff at all of our testing centres for getting us up and running and doing all they can to keep people safe.“However, symptom-free testing should not be seen as a replacement for the measures we’ve all become used to this year, especially over the festive period. Wearing a face covering, regularly washing your hands and keeping a safe distance are key measures which must still be adhered to in order to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and keep Wirral well.”
Wirral Council advises to check on Facebook, Twitter and the wirral.gov.uk website for the latest updates. The testing sites have experienced incredible demand for symptom-free testing this week and are now at a point where many people from outside of the area coming to Wirral to access the testing centres.
This is adding to what was already high demand and has resulted in the Council taking the difficult decision to close early today to ensure they can process the tests from people who have already been queuing for some time.
Peaople already queuing for the Birkenhead Market site may not be tested today as the queue length may exceed the operating hours of the test site and general market. The Birkenhead Market symptom-free testing centre will be closed from today until the New Year.
The staff will be re-distributed to the Floral Pavilion site so that it can deliver as many tests as possible over the festive period. This short break will enable officials to review how best to deliver symptom-free testing in the heart of Birkenhead in 2021.
Wirral’s symptom-free testing centres will now operate on the following times on Thursday (Christmas Eve)
Wirral’s symptom-free testing was launched in early December to help identify those people who did not know they had COVID-19. However, symptom-free testing should not be seen as a replacement for the measures we’ve all become used to this year, especially over the festive period. Wearing a face covering, regularly washing your hands and keeping a safe distance are key measures which must still be adhered to in order to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and Keep Wirral Well.
There is plenty of testing capacity for anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and needs to get tested over Christmas. The symptoms only testing centres at Birkenhead, Bebington, Liscard and Heswall are open EVERY DAY over Christmas but operating at reduced hours. Please visit www.wirral.gov.uk/test for more information.