Merseyside residents told that Fife is nearest Covid-19 testing centre

Merseyside residents are reporting that they were told that the nearest Covid-19 testing centre was in 250 miles away in Fife.

While Sefton’s two walk-in test centres, Southport and Bootle – both managed by the Department for Health, have appointment capacity, it appears to be laboratory processing which is preventing appointments.

When reporters from OTS News tried on two different occasions to select a Covid-19 testing centre, the two nearest options presented were Telford and Wallasey.

There is also a shortage of home testing kits throughout England.

NHS testing boss Sarah-Jane Marsh said: “Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a COVID test at present.

“All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don’t look overcrowded, its our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly.”

The news of the shortage comes as the Government prepares to unveil plans to ban social gatherings of more than 6 people, following a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the UK.