Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Tweet campaign to encourage people to take regular rapid COVID tests reaches thousands

As part of Peterborough City and Cambridgeshire County councils’ work to promote rapid testing and the need for everyone to test twice weekly, a Tweetathon was held on their Twitter accounts (@CambsCC and @PeterboroughCC) on Friday 23 April.

Throughout the day the council posted messages focussed on rapid testing and how members of the public can access it. Messages had the hashtag #rapidtestcambs and #rapidtestpboro and highlighted how rapid testing will help everyone to stay safe and assist the planned easing of lockdown restrictions.

Gillian Beasley, Chief Executive of both councils and Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, also recorded short video blogs encouraging people to rapid test and messages of support were received from members of the public.

Messages were posted every 20 minutes between 8am and 6pm, reaching a total of 114,259 Twitter users. There were also 1,482 post engagements, including 184 re-tweets, 135 likes and 23 comments.

Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “We would like to thank everyone who supported the Tweetathon, by sharing our messages and helping us to reach such a large audience.

“Ever since the government announced that rapid testing is available for everyone we have actively worked to spread this message and encourage people to make twice-weekly rapid testing part of their regular routines. By doing so, you are stopping the spread of Coronavirus and helping us all to get back to a more normal way of life.”

You can take a free rapid test at testing sites across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, collect home testing kits from testing sites and pharmacies or order kits for home delivery.

For more information on rapid testing visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/rapidtesting or www.peterborough.gov.uk/rapidtesting