Rapid testing and more covid officers coming to Slough

Covid virus

Slough will be getting more covid officers and mass rapid testing in the new year the council has confirmed today (Tuesday 22 December).

The announcement comes following the borough being placed in a new Tier 4 – Stay at Home alert level by government on Saturday. 

The council has been working on mass rapid testing since it was placed in Tier 3 earlier this month and, this morning, had the plans and logistics approved by government. 

And, following calls from residents for increased enforcement of the regulations, the council, this morning, approved the recruitment of eight more covid officers – bringing the total to 16 – until March 2021. 

Councillor Natasa Pantelic, lead member for health and wellbeing, said: “It is clearly an incredibly challenging time and everyone needs all the support possible to make sure we live within the current tier 4 arrangements and people understand what is and isn’t permitted.

“So we can support the people of Slough we are looking to introduce two measures early in the New Year; additional covid officers and mass rapid testing across the town. 

“Our covid officers are the front line of the council’s ability to help enforce the regulations and, like the current officers, these new covid officers will be working closely with our CCTV room, environment health and police to target hotspot areas and follow up concerns from residents.”

The council’s covid officers will be continuing to visit businesses, in particular those where the council has received complaints, where the businesses’ compliance with covid safety rules is in doubt.

The covid officers do not have the power to enforce against gatherings in the street or in people’s homes but will continue to offer advice and guidance. Thames Valley Police will continue to enforce regulations where they, and not the council, have the powers.

Mass testing for people without symptoms is expected to be rolled out across Slough from mid January with both mobile and static rapid testing centres.

Details on how to get a rapid test, where and when will be released in the new year. 

Anyone with symptoms can continue to get tests at the Montem Testing Centre as usual. 

Councillor Pantelic added: “We have been working very hard on bringing an appropriate and suitable mass testing offer to residents and we are very pleased our plans have received government approval today. 

“There is still a lot of work to be done before we can open the doors of either the mobile or static rapid testing centres to residents but we will be working throughout the Christmas and New Year period so these are in place as soon as possible.

“As the mass testing will be available to all those without symptoms we hope to be able to help residents clearly take action if they test positive and avoid infecting others in the community.”

Rapid testing, sometimes referred to as mass testing or lateral flow testing, gives a result within around 30 minutes for those who have no covid symptoms. Anyone who tests positive during a rapid test is required to have an immediate follow up test using the current testing method to confirm the result. 

As of today (Tuesday 22 December) the case rate in Slough is 514.2 per 100,000 of the population. 
 

Published: 22 December 2020