Southport doorstep surge testing to pause

The surge testing operation across the Cambridge and Dukes wards of Southport will continue this weekend at the dedicated Mobile Testing Unit at Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, with doorstep testing to be paused.

Thousands of kits have been delivered to homes across the two ward areas, by Council and partner agency teams alongside volunteers, with door-to-door testing now stopping while Sefton Council awaits further direction from the DHSC.

Anyone aged over 16 living or working in the Cambridge and Dukes wards, particularly if they cannot work from home under the current restrictions, are being urged to continue to use the testing site at Southport Theatre and Convention Centre over the weekend – open 8am to 6.30pm.

For Southport residents not in those wards, they should follow the usual testing protocol dependent on if they have symptoms or not, with detailed testing information available on the Council’s website: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/covid-19-in-sefton/covid-19-testing/coronavirus-testing/

Executive Director at Sefton Council, Andrea Watts, said: “We’ve seen incredible support from our residents over the past few weeks as we’ve targeted testing for the South African variant across three ward areas in Southport. Thank you once again for your continued efforts, and I know we’ll see people supporting us again this weekend by getting tested at the dedicated mobile unit on the Promenade.

“To everyone that has supported us and taken up a doorstep test, you’ve played a vital role in our work to help reduce the spread of this disease and to enable scientists to learn more about it. It’s been fantastic to see such a supportive response from our communities, likewise with the dedication of our teams on the ground visiting doorsteps come rain, snow or shine!”

To help stop the spread of the virus and its variants, aside from getting a test, residents should be staying at home as much as possible and only be going out for essential purposes; such as shopping for essential supplies, going to work if they can’t do so from home, providing care and daily exercise.

Andrea added: “There are no additional restrictions in place for those areas where surge testing is still being carried out, but we do encourage residents of those areas to take extra care and try to limit their time away from home.

“Everyone should remember of course that wearing a mask when it’s required, washing their hands regularly and maintaining social distancing are the best ways to stay safe and reduce the opportunity for the virus to spread.”