Rapid Covid-19 testing kits being sent to some Southampton homes from today
It's after a case of the South African variant was confirmed in Shirley
Mass testing in a Southampton neighbourhood starts today, Thursday 18th February.
Residents living in the SO15 5 postcode area of the city will start receiving testing kits.
It comes as a case of the South African variant of Covid-19 has been identified in the area.
Tests will be delivered to people’s homes and will then be collected by the city council and its partners.
Anyone who lives in the SO15 5 postcode area but does not receive a letter and home testing kit has been urged to visit the mobile testing unit at Atherley Bowling Club, Hill Lane SO15 5DB.
The unit will be open from Thursday 18th February until Saturday 20th February from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Residents who receive testing kits at home will have to follow the instructions given to them with that kit.
The test involves taking a swab of the throat and nose.
The results will then be communicated to residents.
Those who test positive will be urged to self-isolate immediately and pass on details of their contacts to NHS Test and Trace.
Health officials said “there is no cause for alarm”.
But local residents have been urged to stay at home.
It comes as mass testing is also under way in Bramley, near Basingstoke, where a case of the South African variant was found on Saturday 13th February.
Southampton City Council, who will be leading the programme along with the Department of Health and Social care, said:
“The aim of the targeted testing exercise is to help better understand and prevent the spread of new variants. The risk of transmission from a single South-African variant case is considered to be very low. There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is more serious than others, or that the regulated vaccines will not protect against it.
"Testing will, in combination with measures such as hands-face-space and lockdown measures, help to suppress and control the spread of COVID-19, while enabling a better understanding of the new variant.”
The council added: “Positive tests will be sequenced to identify any further spread of the new variant first discovered in South Africa, enabling a better understanding of the variant and identifying if there are any more cases of this particular strand of the virus in the area. If someone tests positive, they must self-isolate immediately and pass on details of their contacts to NHS Test and Trace.”