Changes are being made to COVID-19 testing sites in Shropshire, as people are encouraged to take twice-weekly rapid Lateral Flow Tests at home.
From Saturday 1 May 2021 at 10am, residents in the Shropshire Coucnil area who do not have COVID-19 symptoms will be able to collect a rapid Lateral Flow Tests kit additionally from Shirehall in Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, for home use.
The former Column Restaurant area near the front of the building will be open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 8pm, and on Saturdays from 10am until 4pm, for collecting LFT kits.
Lateral Flow Tests – COVID-19 home test kits – Shirehall, Shrewsbury collection point map
This will allow the nearby site on London Road, opposite the White Horse pub, to be used solely for PCR testing.
Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said:
“Regular testing as part of our everyday lives will play an important role as restrictions are cautiously lifted.
“We strongly encourage people in Shropshire to test twice a week using the rapid Lateral Flow Tests. These are now readily available across the county in various locations to test at home, and will give a result in about 30 minutes.
“These tests are an important tool alongside ‘hands, face, space, vaccinations and fresh air’, in allowing us to move forward safely as we ease out of the third Lockdown.
“I would also like to stress that everyone should be taking part in regularly testing – even if you have been vaccinated.”
Some of the county’s symptom-free walk-in centres will cease offering on-site testing over the coming weeks, but will remain open for people to collect LFT home-testing kits.
Walk-in testing provision at The Lantern on Meadow Farm Drive in Shrewsbury will cease at the end of Saturday 1 May 2021, and walk-in testing provision at Stage Door in Wem will finish at the end of Sunday 9 May 2021.
Meanwhile, Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury will remain open for walk-in testing until the end of Sunday 16 May 2021.
There are many places around the county where you can collect the testing kits, including pharmacies, leisure centres, libraries, and local shops. For a full list of where to collect LFTs click here.
Each kit contains seven Lateral Flow Tests, and an instruction booklet on how to take the tests and report the results.
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