Mobile Covid-19 rapid testing at Bantock Park and Low Hill

A mobile unit offering free rapid testing for Covid-19 is at Bantock Park until Sunday (7 March) before moving to Low Hill Community Centre, Kempthorne Avenue, on Monday.

Anyone without symptoms of Covid-19 is invited to get tested at the mobile unit between 9am and 1pm and 2pm and 6pm, seven days a week. Testing is free, people don't need to book in advance and they will get their results within an hour.

Wolverhampton’s Director of Public Health John Denley said: “As many as one in three people with Covid-19 don’t have any symptoms but could still be infectious to others, and that’s why getting tested regularly is so important.

"We have worked hard to make testing as accessible as possible. We have set up rapid test centres at six sites across Wolverhampton and the deployment of this mobile test unit, which is at Bantock Park until Sunday and will be at Low Hill Community Centre from Monday, means even more people can get tested closer to home.

“The mobile unit is proving to be a popular option and has been well received by local residents and visitors to the park.”

As well as Bantock Park, free rapid testing for people without symptoms of Covid-19 is available at:

• The Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
• The Jamia Masjid Bilal, Newhampton Road West, 10am-6.30pm daily
• Pendeford Library, Monday-Friday, 7am-6pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
• The Hub at Ashmore Park, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am-6pm
• St Joseph’s Church, Willenhall Road, Monday-Friday, 2pm-6pm
• Bilston Community Centre, Prouds Lane, Thursday, Friday and Monday, 8am-4pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm.

'Critical workers' have priority access to rapid testing at the Civic Centre between 8am and 9am, Monday to Friday; Pendeford Library from 7am-10am and 4pm-6pm, Monday to Friday; and Bilston Community Centre between 8am and 9am Monday, Thursday and Friday. Workers are asked to bring a form of ID to prove eligibility.

John added: "Please remember that, even if you have had your Covid-19 vaccination, it's important to get tested regularly – and that you must continue to follow Government restrictions and guidance. Keep your distance from others, wear a face covering and wash your hands or use hand sanitiser so that we can defeat this virus."

More information on rapid testing for people without symptoms of Covid-19 is available at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus-testing. Rapid testing is not available for people who have symptoms of Covid-19, including a fever, a new continuous cough or a change to the sense of taste or smell, or people who have been told to isolate. Anyone with symptoms should immediately self-isolate and book a PCR test by visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or calling 119.

Latest figures show there were 84 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the seven days to 1 March. That means 221 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that seven day period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.

The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus. Information about the vaccine can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidvaccine. Further details of the lockdown restrictions currently in place, and the answers to frequently asked questions, are available at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidalert.