Community testing programme expands

More residents will be able to access rapid coronavirus tests as further community venues open up across the borough.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is extending its SMART testing programme – aimed at people without coronavirus symptoms – with new community venues opening over the coming weeks.

The first new SMART testing site to open – and the first site located in Darwen – is based at Earcroft Children’s Centre, off Blackburn Road, BB3 0AF.

Tests are available from today (Thursday 4th February) from 9.30am-3.30pm, seven days a week.

Testing at the borough’s SMART hubs is targeted at residents without symptoms who have to leave home to work during the lockdown.

With infection rates remaining higher those living in the vicinity of the hub sites are also encouraged to attend.

Pre-booking isn’t required, visitors can walk in and give a mobile number or email address to register.

Details on other new sites will be released as they are confirmed.

Over 5,500 test have been taken at the borough’s two pre-existing SMART testing hubs at Ewood Park and King George’s Hall since they launched.

The Council is also approaching local businesses to take part in a business-focussed arm of the SMART testing scheme, with big firms such as Euro Garages already signing up to take part.

Rapid tests are aimed at finding people who may have no symptoms but are infectious. Also known as a Lateral Flow Test, the results can be given in around thirty minutes, as they don’t need to go to a laboratory for testing.

Together with the vaccination roll-out, increased testing is a ‘key weapon’ in the battle against the virus.

For more information and a list of FAQs go to: https://bit.ly/2Xzxaur

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

I’m pleased to see more SMART testing hubs opening up in our local communities to complement the two very successful ones we have operating already. This approach gives easy access to those having to leave the home for work as well as those living in the targeted areas with higher levels of infection.

One in three people with coronavirus do not have any symptoms and so can pass on the virus without knowing it, so I’d encourage even more people from the target groups to utilise these hubs, get tested and help us break the chain of transmission.