Council calls for more people to come forward for testing

Blackburn with Darwen is doing more testing for Coronavirus than almost any other area in England but its Director of Public Health, Dominic Harrison, says it’s more important than even that more local people come forward – particularly younger people.

He said:

In Blackburn with Darwen our testing figures are significantly higher than the national average, which means that local residents have been listening to our appeals. But we need more to get tested even if they have no symptoms.

We are especially urging young people (under 30s) as they are more likely to be asymptomatic (i.e. experiencing no symptoms). Also those who may have been feeling ill and had minor viral symptoms not identified as the main Covid-19 symptoms by the Government should come forward as well as anyone who has already been tested but may have been feeling unwell recently.

The more people we test, the better our understanding of where the virus is in the borough​

It’s easy to arrange a test for Coronavirus in Blackburn with Darwen.

You can request a home kit to be posted out to you, or attend the borough’s mobile testing facility or the site outside Royal Blackburn Hospital.

And to help with the process, the Council is keeping the mobile testing unit currently at Witton Park Academy on but it will be moving to Audley Sport Centre from Monday (August 3.)

The Audley unit will operate from 11am-6pm seven days a week. Sunday, August 2 will be the last day it will operate at Witton. The Council is also exploring other sites in the borough for mobile units.

29 year-old Mo Congress, a charity worker from Blackburn, agrees that getting tested is an important way to control the spread of the virus locally.

Mo said:

I have unfortunately lost loved ones to the virus and saw first-hand how gruelling the whole process was. As hospital visits weren’t allowed, we couldn’t even say goodbye in person which was very difficult.

I’ve got myself tested for the virus, and thankfully got a negative result.

Please protect vulnerable family members by getting yourself tested. It’s easy to arrange and doesn’t take long at all.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, added:

We are very grateful to everyone who has got themselves tested, and we need to keep up the momentum of testing to get a grip on the virus.

Keep up to date with the latest information about testing and Coronavirus in Blackburn with Darwen.