Community Collect to make COVID-19 rapid testing easier

Herefordshire Council is introducing more sites to the COVID-19 symptom-free rapid testing Community Collect service, making it easier for those eligible to access the kits and do testing at home.

Anyone in a household, childcare bubble or support bubble of staff or a child at nursery, at primary or secondary school, or at college in Herefordshire can now collect COVID-19 rapid test kits, from four more locations, instead of booking an appointment at a local test centre.

The fixed test site in Leominster, Broad Street Car Park, for people with COVID-19 symptoms, began offering the service, outside of testing hours, several weeks ago.

The kits can be collected from the sites listed and no appointment is needed. You can collect two packs of home test kits at a time. Each pack contains seven tests and anyone 18 or over can collect. Instructions for use are included.

The sites for Community Collect are:

• Hereford. ThePoint4 , Venns Lane, Hereford, HR1 1DT
• Ledbury. The Master’s House, Bye St, Ledbury HR8 1EA
• Leominster. The Old Priory, The Priory, Leominster HR6, 8DA
• Leominster. Broad Street Car Park, Leominster, HR6 8DD
• Ross-on-Wye. Ryefields Children’s Centre, Grammar School Close, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7QD

Leominster Broad Street is open daily from 1pm to 8pm, and for all other opening times please visit the NHS test and trace map

Anyone doing symptom-free testing is recommended to take the test twice a week and make testing part of their weekly routine for the foreseeable future.

Those who get a positive result from a test conducted at home or develops COVID-19 symptoms of a new continuous cough, high temperature and loss or change in their sense of smell or taste, should:

• self-isolate immediately
• get a PCR test to confirm the result
• follow the stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection

Herefordshire Public Health Consultant Sarah Smith said: “Testing is a vital part of our toolkit in dealing with COVID-19. Around one in three people who are infected with the virus have no symptoms so could be spreading the disease without knowing it.

“We want to boost the number of people doing COVID-19 rapid testing in Herefordshire to help us detect cases and stop the virus spreading. This, along with the vaccinations programme, will help to protect everyone in our communities.

“The additional sites for the Community Collect service will make testing easier for anyone eligible for the tests who may find it difficult or inconvenient to attend an appointment at a test site.

“I urge as many eligible people as possible to integrate COVID-19 rapid testing into their everyday lives for the foreseeable future.”

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