People with symptoms of coronavirus, no matter how mild, are being urged to get a Covid-19 test by visiting NHS or calling 119 as soon as possible.
Wolverhampton currently has 4 Covid-19 test centres; 3 walk-through sites at Showell Road, Whitmore Reans Health Centre car park and at Mountford Lane car park in Bilston, and a drive through site at Aldersley Leisure Village. A fourth walk through site is due to open at Blakenhall Community Resource Centre in the coming days.
The significant increase in demand for Covid-19 testing nationally is now outweighing the available laboratory capacity to process the tests. This widely reported issue has resulted in a reduction in the number of tests that centres in Wolverhampton, and elsewhere, are able to carry out each day.
People who have symptoms of Covid-19, which include a fever, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to a person’s sense of taste and smell, are strongly advised to book an appointment in advance wherever possible.
The walk through sites in Wolverhampton may be able to accept people who have symptoms without an appointment subject to daily availability, but if a site has reached capacity, people without appointments will unfortunately not be able to access a test.
Anyone who has symptoms but are unable to get tested – either because they cannot book one online or by calling 119, or by attending a walk-through centre – should stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days from the point at which they first developed symptoms.
Details of all of Wolverhampton’s test centres can be found at Coronavirus Testing which will include information about the new centre in Blakenhall when it opens.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Testing is a crucial weapon in our battle to stop the spread of Covid-19 and the message is clear; if you have symptoms, no matter how mild they may be, you must immediately self isolate and get yourselves tested.
“If you have symptoms but are unable to access a test then please stay and home and isolate for 10 days. This will help you, your family and community to remain safe and prevent any potential spread. If your symptoms worsen during this period, please contact 111 for advice.”
Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will be asked to share information about people that they have been in close contact with recently.
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.
