New walk-through coronavirus testing site up and running in High Wycombe

Health and Social Care

A new walk-through coronavirus testing site is now up and running in High Wycombe and anyone with symptoms, no matter how mild, is being urged to book a test.

The new site has been set up at the Buckinghamshire New University site in Queen Alexandra Road, where it will remain for the foreseeable future.

It is the second walk-through testing site to be set up in the county in recent weeks, after the one at Buckinghamshire Council’s Gateway building car park in Aylesbury.

These sites are open for use by anyone who has coronavirus symptoms, and appointments must be booked first – they are not ‘drop-in’ sites.

However, with cases rising, anyone with even mild symptoms is being encouraged to arrange a test to help stop the spread of the virus. Symptoms include a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste. Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

The High Wycombe site is near the town centre and is easily accessible without car. People using the walk-through sites are encouraged not to drive there, if at all possible.

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

Mobile coronavirus testing sites will also continue to be set up in temporary locations around the county.

Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Engagement at Buckinghamshire Council, said: “We are very pleased to have this new walk-through testing site in High Wycombe and this is very welcome news for our residents. It means more people will be able to get the test they need more quickly and closer to their home. With stricter lockdown measures coming into effect, both this testing site and the one in Aylesbury will be hugely important as we work together to stop the spread of the virus. If you have any symptoms of coronavirus at all, no matter how mild, please book a test as soon as you can. In the meantime, if anyone in your household develops symptoms, please isolate and follow the latest guidance.”

For more information about walk-through testing sites, you can watch this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcRw92bO8xg&t=50s.

You can read the full guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, and on the latest lockdown measures, on the government website – https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

 

If you need extra support during the coming lockdown period, please keep checking www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/ which will continue to be updated with information about the various ways you can get help.