Surge testing being deployed in Bradford, Canterbury and Maidstone

Additional testing is being offered in the CT1 and CT2 postcodes in Canterbury, the ME14 1 postcode in Maidstone and targeted areas within Bradford.

This surge testing is being deployed following the identification of a small number of confirmed cases of the Delta variant, B1.617.2. All the confirmed cases have been instructed to self-isolate and their contacts have been identified.

Everyone who lives or works in these areas, including children aged 12 and over in Canterbury and Maidstone, and 11 and over in Bradford, is strongly encouraged to take a coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test, whether they are showing symptoms or not.

Enhanced contact tracing will be used for individuals testing positive with a variant of concern (VOC). This is where contact tracers look back over an extended period to determine the route of transmission.

By using PCR tests, positive results are then sent for genomic sequencing at specialist laboratories, helping us to identify COVID-19 cases with a variant of concern and then prevent their spread.

If you have symptoms you should book a free test online or by phone. You can then go to a testing site or have a kit sent to your home. If you have no symptoms, you should visit local authority’s website for more information: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

People in this area should continue to make use of free twice-weekly rapid tests, commonly known as lateral flow devices, alongside the PCR test as part of surge testing.