Newark and Sherwood residents are being encouraged to make regular home testing for Covid-19 part of their weekly routine as the asymptomatic testing site at Newark Sports and Fitness Centre is to close and be replaced by a mobile test centre.
Newark and Sherwood District Council said it has seen encouraging numbers of home test kits being collected and used by residents. Kits can be collected from several local pharmacies across the district as well as at asymptomatic test sites.
Now, to allow the Sports and Fitness centre to reopen fully in May, the asymptomatic testing site there will be replaced by a mobile test site. The new mobile site will come to Newark between 10am and 4.30pm every Wednesday and Saturday. The exact location is to be confirmed and anyone can get a supervised test there, and can collect a home test kit as well.
“The mobile test site option has proved really effective in Ollerton and has now been introduced to Southwell every Monday and Thursday. It makes sense to replicate this cost-effective solution in Newark now that the Sports and Fitness centre is preparing to reopen,” explained Country David Lloyd, leader of the district council.
“The mobile solution is particularly suited to Newark and will give our residents a convenient way to either get a supervised test or to collect their kits for home testing.”
Jonathan Gribbin, director of public health for Nottinghamshire, added: “Twice weekly testing is really important when you have no symptoms. It’s an additional thing we can do to keep ourselves, our families and communities safer. There are now over 100 different places to pick up free home testing kits across Nottinghamshire, including pharmacies and testing sites.”
To find out more about the ways to make Covid-19 testing part of your regular weekly routine, visit www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/covidtests