Enfield Council has opened five community rapid testing centre in the borough so residents without symptoms can be tested for coronavirus without needing to make an appointment.
The launch of borough-wide rapid Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) for Enfield residents will help to stop the spread of coronavirus earlier by identifying people who may not know they have the virus and enabling them to self isolate – before they develop symptoms.
One in three people with coronavirus do not have any symptoms, making it harder to stop the spread of the virus.
After receiving their results residents testing positive will be referred for a follow-up test to confirm the result. Those testing negative will be given advice based on their personal circumstances.
The centres are at Klinger Hall, in Copperfield Mews, Edmonton, (although the easiest access is from Silver Street), Kempe Hall in Kempe Road, Enfield, and Brigadier Hall in Cedar Road, Enfield.
Further sites have been set up at Southgate Library in High Street, Southgate, John Wilkes House in High Street, Ponders End and Green Towers Community Centre in Plevna Road, Edmonton.
All testing centres are operating between 9am to 6pm.
Each will be capable of delivering nearly 900 tests per day with a total borough target of around 151,000 tests over the next six weeks. They will complement the five test centres in the borough that offer tests for people who have coronavirus symptoms.
There is no need to book a test at the centres, and residents without symptoms can simply turn up during the centre’s opening hours.
Attendees will be expected to wear a mask (unless exempt) and strict public health social distancing arrangements will be put in place to protect residents and staff at the centres.
Enfield Council Leader, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, said: “We have acted rapidly to set up community testing centres in Enfield to protect members of the public and slow the spread of coronavirus within our most affected communities.”
“Identifying those individuals who have this virus and ensuring they self-isolate and do not spread it to others means we can bring COVID-19 under control and get back to a semblance of normality."
“We are working tirelessly to tackle coronavirus in Enfield but we need residents to help us by doing everything they can by being tested and by following the public health advice to wear a mask if in shops or on public transport, socially distancing and washing your hands regularly.”
Residents who have symptoms of the virus should isolate to protect those around them and our community as a whole. People with symptoms- a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to their sense of taste or smell - should arrange for a PCR test which can be booked by ringing 119 or visiting GOV.UK - Get a PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19).