Latest news

Latest News from the Department of Health and Social Care

A new walk-through coronavirus (COVID-19) testing facility has opened for those with symptoms to book appointments at Blackwater Leisure Centre Car Park, Park Drive in Maldon (CM9 5UR), as part of the government’s drive to continue to improve the accessibility of COVID-19 testing for local communities.

Testing at this site is only available for those with symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. Free, twice-weekly rapid testing is available to everyone in England without symptoms. Getting tested will be critical to control the virus as society reopens, including the spread of variants.

Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. The government is committed to making it even easier to get tested and to reducing the time it takes to receive test results.

The new site is situated so it is easily accessible without a car. Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practicing good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout, including while travelling to and from the testing centre.

Anyone attending an appointment at a walk-through test site will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely, with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.

Testing at the new site started on Wednesday 18 August, with appointments made available each day.

Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them trace their contacts. This will help to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission.

Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 10 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus. They will be advised to also book a test if they develop symptoms.

Health Minister, Lord Bethell, said:

“We have built the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history to ensure that everyone can get tested for covid-19 regularly.  As a result, the UK is now a testing juggernaut, performing more tests than any comparable European country, which is helping to break chains of transmission, save lives and detect variants of concern.

“New walk-in sites like this one make it even easier to get a test no matter where you live. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, I urge you to book a test today and follow the advice of NHS Test and Trace if you are contacted, to protect others and stop the spread of the virus.”

Jenny Harries, CEO of UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:

“This new walk-through site is part of our ongoing work to expand our testing offer, making it easier for people with symptoms to get a test. If you have developed a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss or change in sense of smell or taste, please book a test and follow the advice of NHS Test and Trace if you are contacted.
“Anyone without symptoms, should continue to take advantage of free, twice-weekly rapid COVID-19 tests through their place of work, education or through our universal offer scheme.
“As we reopen society and return to a more familiar way of life, testing, and isolating when asked to do so, remains an essential way of controlling the spread of the virus and protecting one another.”

The testing centre is being operated in partnership with G4S and will offer self-administered tests.

Alex Lever, Managing Director of G4S’s Testing Site Programme, said:

"The Maldon walk-through site will play a key role in supporting the national response to the pandemic and we are extraordinarily proud of our dedicated employees at Covid-19 testing sites across the UK.

"Their enthusiasm has been inspiring as they continue to support the Government, our health services and the public in this crisis."