Opening of new testing sites announced in response to question from Lib Dem councillor

Following a question from Lib Dem County Councillor Angela Goodwin at today's Cabinet meeting, the Council confirmed it was opening several Covid19 testing centres across the county for essential workers who have no symptoms (asymptomatic).

A pilot scheme will be introduced initially at three sites at the beginning of February. Bourne Hall in Epsom, Goldwater Lodge in Woking and Thameside Centre in Staines will become the county's first community lateral flow testing sites offering asymptomatic testing for essential workers not covered by other testing programmes, for example nursery workers. It is expected that the centres will be open between 7.45am - 8.00pm.

Additional centres are planned to be opened later in February. Testing will start at sites in Elmbridge, Guildford and Reigate and Banstead three weeks after the initial locations, and finally two weeks after that in Surrey Heath and Waverley. Full details will be made available by the Public Health team at Surrey County Council in due course.

Angela said:

"I am really pleased to see that essential workers, many of whom are involved in delivering services to some of the most vulnerable residents in our communities, will soon have access to lateral flow testing which is another important tool in combatting this terrible virus. It is vital to make this process as accessible as possible and I am glad to see that the planned opening hours of the test centres should allow workers to be able to attend either before they start work or after they have finished. I would also like to recognise the important role that volunteers will play in the operation of these testing sites and would encourage anyone interested to volunteer through the Central Surrey Voluntary Action webpage."