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Mar 2021

Last Updated: 16/03/2021

Mobile covid tests launched in rural North Yorkshire

by Suzannah Rogerson

| 16 Mar, 2021

A mobile testing unit is to travel to rural areas in the county delivering covid testing kits. North Yorkshire was chosen for the pilot scheme because it is sparsely populated.

Rural areas of the Harrogate district could find it easier to get covid tests after North Yorkshire was chosen for a national pilot scheme.

North Yorkshire County Council approached the Department of Health and Social Care to get a mobile unit taking tests to the most sparsely populated areas.

The government agreed, and a van is now travelling from town to town across North Yorkshire, delivering lateral flow testing kits to families.

The service complements the five static testing sites in North Yorkshire, which are in the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate, as well as at sites in Northallerton, Selby, Scarborough, Skipton.

Anyone in a household or bubble, including students and staff at nurseries, schools or colleges is able to pick up a maximum of 14 test kits from the van.

Local health leaders said the county's rural nature required an innovative response to make sure everyone, including those with limited transport options, could access testing locally.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at the council, said:

“Around a third of people with covid do not have any symptoms so the aim of regular asymptomatic testing is to help to uncover hidden cases of the virus and stop further transmissions, preventing outbreaks before they occur."

Harrogate district covid rate drops to lowest level since September.

Over 64,000 people received first dose of covid vaccine in Harrogate district.

The service is not intended for people with symptoms of coronavirus, but by allowing the families of young people in school and education settings to test regularly it is hoped it will help to limit the virus from spreading.

On its first day, in Settle, the van arrived to a queue of 30 people already waiting to receive their tests. Each person is given two boxes of seven test kits.

The unit is stocked with 1,000 boxes for each daily run.

Matthew Robinson, North Yorkshire’s head of resilience and emergencies, said:

“We asked if we could pilot this scheme and we are really delighted to have been given a mobile deployment unit. Wherever that unit is, eligible people can go and get lateral flow tests."

In Harrogate, the Dragon Road testing site has begun accepting rapid flow tests from school pupils and staff.

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Mobile covid tests launched in rural North Yorkshire

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