The Get Up, Get Tested, Get Back to Normal campaign, supported by the City of Wolverhampton Council, the NHS and West Midlands Police, highlights how twice weekly testing can enable people to get on with their lives safely.
A series of posters will be on display around the city promoting the importance of people getting tested before they go about their usual business – like heading off to work, going to places like the gym or school, or meeting up with friends.
They feature local people including a Bilston market trader, a contractor working on the transformation of the Civic Halls, WV Active members and pupils from The Kings Church of England School.
Through the campaign, people without symptoms of Covid-19 are being encouraged to visit rapid test centres or pick up free home test kits so they can get themselves tested twice a week – for more details, please visit Lateral Flow Home Test Kits.
John Denley, Wolverhampton's Director of Public Health, said: "Along with the life saving vaccine, testing is key to helping end the coronavirus pandemic.
"We know that 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 don't realise they have it because they don't have any symptoms. Yet they could still be infectious and accidently pass the virus onto more vulnerable family members, friends or colleagues.
"That's why it is so important that people without symptoms of Covid-19 get tested on a regular basis – to reassure themselves and others that they don't have Covid-19 and to help stop the spread if it turns out that, actually, they do.
"Regular testing will also enable us to track the prevalence of the virus in the city and, ultimately, help us get back to normality. I would urge everyone, please, get yourself a rapid Covid-19 test twice a week.”
Free rapid testing for people without symptoms of Covid-19 is available at:
- The Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
- The Jamia Masjid Bilal, Newhampton Road West, 10am-7pm daily
- Pendeford Library, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
- The Hub at Ashmore Park, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday, 10am-6pm
Meanwhile people can collect free Covid-19 home rapid test kits from:
- The Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
- Pendeford Library, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
- The Hub at Ashmore Park, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am-6pm, and Saturday, 10am-6pm
- PCR test centres at Showell Road, Blakenhall Resource Centre, Whitmore Reans Library, Faulkland Street car park, and Mountford Lane car park, Bilston between 2.30pm and 8pm daily
- The mobile Covid-19 test unit
- Bilston Market, 8.30am-2.30pm Monday, Thursday and Friday and 8.30am-4pm Saturday
- Wolverhampton Market, 8.30am-2.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 8.30am-4pm Saturday
- WV Active Aldersley, WV Active Bilston-Bert Williams, WV Active Central and Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre during usual opening hours
- Local pharmacies offering the Pharmacy Collect service (details at Find where to get rapid lateral flow tests)
More information on rapid testing, including advice about how to take the test at home, is available at Lateral Flow Home Test Kits.
John added: “A key thing to remember is that recording a negative test is as important as a positive test – the results give us, and especially our Public Health team, vital data and information to monitor and keep on top of the virus. It’s one of the ways we will get back to normal, quicker.”
Please note, rapid testing is not available for people with coronavirus symptoms. Anyone with symptoms, including high temperature, a new or continuous cough, or a loss or taste or smell, should book a PCR test at NHS or by calling 119.
The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at GOV.UK and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at Coronavirus advice and information. Further details of the restrictions currently in place, and the answers to frequently asked questions, are available at COVID Alert.
