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    14

    Apr 2021

    Last Updated: 14/04/2021
    Health
    Health

    Collect coronavirus tests at 25 pharmacies in Harrogate district

    by Connor Creaghan

    | 14 Apr, 2021
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    The sites enable people to take free rapid lateral flow tests twice a week. If someone tests positive, they will then need to take a more accurate PCR test.

    lateral-flow-test
    A lateral flow test. Photo: Gov

    Twenty-five pharmacies in the Harrogate district have signed up to become collection points for coronavirus tests and more are expected to come on stream in the coming days.

    Rapid lateral flow tests are now freely available for people who do not have covid symptoms as part of government attempts to control the spread of the virus.

    The NHS map showing collection points has 14 sites in Harrogate, five in Knaresborough, three in Ripon and one in Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham respectively.

    It is a major improvement since the initiative began on Friday when only a single pharmacy in Knaresborough was signed up to the scheme.

    Such sites enable people to take rapid lateral flow tests twice a week. If someone tests positive they then need to take a more accurate PCR test.

    Public health officials hope the pharmacies and a mobile testing unit will plug a potential gap in collection points, which could be left when the Dragon Road testing site in Harrogate closes on June 1.



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    Health officials told a coronavirus press briefing today that they are still working with Harrogate Borough Council to find a replacement site for PCR testing.

    As well as pharmacies and testing sites, people can also order tests to be sent to their homes, or get tests through work or school.

    Dr Victoria Turner, a public health consultant, told today's press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum:

    "We are in the best position in terms of case numbers for about six months, we are not quite at the low levels of last summer yet.
    "But with lockdown rules easing there is a chance that cases will start to rise. Test positivity has come down in recent weeks and there has been a significant increase in lateral flow testing.
    "We have had lots of pharmacies sign up to the national testing programme but we are expecting even more to come online in the next few days."


    Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, also said:

    "Just on the point of lateral flow tests, I was in a pharmacy the other day and asked about the interest in testing.
    "They told me that they have had the most interest from those who are over 50. It might be that younger people are going through other outlets but it is something to explore."


    Harrogate District Hospital currently has just five coronavirus patients but recently reported its first covid death in nearly two weeks.

    The seven-day average rate of infection now stands at 16 per 100,000 people in the district. The North Yorkshire seven-day rate is 21 and the England average is 36.