The Government might be rolling out 'surge' Covid testing nationally - what you need to know

By Alex Nelson
Published 17th Feb 2021, 11:31 BST
Updated 17th Feb 2021, 11:32 BST
People begin surge testing for the Kent coronavirus variant - which is thought to spread more easily than the original novel coronavirus - in Mancheste (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)People begin surge testing for the Kent coronavirus variant - which is thought to spread more easily than the original novel coronavirus - in Mancheste (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
People begin surge testing for the Kent coronavirus variant - which is thought to spread more easily than the original novel coronavirus - in Mancheste (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that more areas of England will see a rollout of “surge testing” programmes, after cases of the South African variant of Covid-19 were found there.

The variant is believed to be more transmissible than the original strain of the virus, and uncertainty around its effect on the efficacy of existing vaccines still persists.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

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Where is surge testing taking place?

The DHSC has announced testing regimes will be set up in Norfolk, Southampton and Woking, Surrey, where positive cases of South African variant have been discovered.

The testing will be targeted within the postcodes of IP22, SO15 and GU22 in those areas respectively.

Additional surge testing and genomic sequencing is being deployed to the TS7 postcode in Middlesbrough, areas in Walsall and in specific areas in the RG26 postcode in Hampshire where the variant has been found.

The operation in parts of Walsall has been extended in response to a confirmed second case of the variant which is not believed to be linked to international travel.

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Efforts in Manchester to track down examples of the mutation of the more transmissible Kent variant will also be expanded following deployment of testing teams last week, with the postcode districts of M40 and M9 set to be targeted.

What is surge testing?

People living within the targeted testing areas are strongly encouraged to take a Covid-19 test this week, whether they are showing symptoms or not, a spokesperson for the department said.

In many of the affected areas, testing kits will be delivered to people’s doorsteps and collected by a team of volunteers, who will not need to enter the household.

Check with your local authority for the latest information.

People with symptoms should book a test in the “usual way”, and those without symptoms should visit their local authority website for more information, they added.

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