Rapid testing, for people without symptoms of Covid-19, is free and can identify cases of the virus among people who don't realise they have it. They can then take action to prevent passing Covid-19 onto others.
With the new Omicron variant spreading rapidly, residents are being urged to take extra care and get a rapid Covid-19 test before meeting more vulnerable people or if they mix with others in crowded indoor places.
Double jabbed contacts of people with Covid-19 are now also able to take a daily rapid test, rather than having to self isolate, as was previously the case.
The walk in rapid test site at the Civic Centre is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 8am to 6pm and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8am to 5pm. It will be close on Christmas Eve at 2pm, reopening as normal on Tuesday 4 January.
The walk in rapid test site at the Jamia Masjid Bilal, Newhampton Road, is open from 10am to 7pm daily, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day when it will be open from 10am to 12pm.
The walk in rapid test site at New Cross Hospital (located in the reception area of the maternity unit) is open from Monday to Friday from 8am until 4pm, but will be closed from Christmas Day, reopening on 29 to 31 December, and then closed again until Tuesday 4 January.
Rapid test kits which can be used from the comfort of home are available to collect from a range of locations across Wolverhampton, including the walk in rapid test sites, WV Active leisure centres and Wolverhampton, Bilston and Wednesfield markets. People can order a home test kit through the pharmacy collect service, via NHS.
Supervised rapid testing is also available at a number of pharmacies – for details, please visit Pharmacy testing.
Meanwhile, anyone with symptoms of Covid-19, no matter how mild, must self isolate and pre-book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting GOV.UK.
The walk through PCR test centres at Showell Road, Faulkland Street car park, Blakenhall Resource Centre, Whitmore Reans Library and Railway Street car park, Bilston, are open from 8am to 6pm as usual apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day when they will be open from 10am to 2pm.
The drive through PCR test site at Priory Green in Pendeford is open from 9am to 3pm daily, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day when it will be open from 10am to 12pm.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Covid cases remain high in Wolverhampton, with over 1,200 people testing positive last week.
"We need to do all we can to stop the spread of the virus. Testing is a key part of this and the good news is that both rapid and PCR testing is available every day over the Christmas period."
For more information about Covid-19 testing, please visit Coronavirus Testing.
Latest figures show there were 480.3 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last 7 days. That means 1,263 people tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of cases will likely be higher.
