Director of Public Health’s call on testing

Blackburn with Darwen’s Director of Public Health is urging residents to get a Covid-19 test if they are at all concerned about possible symptoms – even if they aren’t the main ones.

Dominic Harrison said:

At the moment, national instruction is for people to get tested if they are showing the three main symptoms: a high temperature, a persistent cough or a loss of smell or taste.

However, many other countries advise residents to seek a test if they have any one of 11 known principal symptoms, which include: diarrhoea, a persistent headache, fever and chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, sore throat, congestion or runny nose and nausea or vomiting.

Across Lancashire we’ve seen reports of residents who have only experienced, for example, diarrhoea or a persistent and unusual headache lasting more than 24 hours who later turn out to have a confirmed Covid case.

With that in mind I am now advising anyone in Blackburn with Darwen who is worried or has any doubts about their possible Covid symptoms to get tested as soon as possible.

When you are booking a test, if you don’t have the classic symptoms, simply say you don’t.

A few clicks later on the website, you can then choose the option which says: ‘My local council or health protection team has asked me (or someone I live with) to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms’.

Alongside the vaccination programme, testing continues to be one of the most vital tools to help us reduce the spread of infection.

Read more about the eleven principle symptoms on the CDC’s website.

The World Health Organisation website also contains information on known symptoms.

You can book a free test by calling 119,  online or through the government’s NHS Covid app.

Support is available for people who need to stay at home after a positive test. Find out more.