New Peterborough Covid-19 testing site to open on Christmas Day

In addition, the mobile testing site will be available at the rugby club at Bretton Park every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until further notice. The opening times are:

· Christmas Day, 10am to 2.30pm

· Boxing Day, 9am to 3pm

· Monday, December 28, 10am to 2.30pm

· Wednesday, December 30, 9am to 3pm

· Friday, January 1, 10am to 2.30pm.

People with symptoms are able to book a test by visiting www.nhs.uk. Those unable to access the internet can call 119 to book a test. People can also access tests, including walk-in tests, at the testing facility at Gladstone Park Community Centre which is open every day, 8am to 8pm.

Dr Liz Robin, director of public health for Peterborough City Council, said: “Rates of the virus remain high in the city and they are rising, which is why the Government has placed us under Tier 4 restrictions.

“One of our best defences against the virus is for everyone with one or more symptoms - a raised temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss in sense of taste or smell – to get tested for Covid-19. That is why we are bolstering our testing capacity in the city by offering this additional mobile testing facility.

“The more people we can identify as having the virus the easier it will be for us to provide support to these people to help them to self-isolate, to provide the right advice to people they have been in close contact with and to break the chain of onward infection, thus protecting their friends and family.

“We can offer lots of support to people who need to self-isolate if required. There really is no reason not to.”

The support available to help people self-isolate includes:

· The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme which is run by Peterborough City Council and entitles people who meet certain criteria to a one-off payment of £500 if they lose income as a result of not being able to work. This payment can be made available on multiple occasions if a person comes into contact with people who test positive and is told to self-isolate, a second or even a third time.

· For anyone not eligible for the Government support – a local discretionary fund which offers financial support to make sure people don’t suffer financially.

In addition, the Peterborough Support Hub can help people with grocery shopping, medicine collection, dog walking, befriending services and in many other ways. It can be contacted on 01733 747474 or by visiting www.peterborough.gov.uk/coronavirus.