A new walk-through coronavirus testing site has opened in Carlisle.
The testing centre, at Cecil Street car park, is part of a national initiative to make testing sites more accessible to those on foot or bicycle.
This site is in addition to the regional drive through testing sites, as well as home testing both of which can be booked through the Governments online portal.
Free and accessible testing is the cornerstone of the NHS Test and Trace service which brings together testing, contact tracing and outbreak management.
Before selecting the site, the Department for Health and Social Care engaged with local government and public health stakeholders to narrow down and identify a suitable site which best supports communities in the Carlisle constituency.
The new centre has been welcomed by Carlisle MP John Stevenson.
He said: “We need to get back to doing the things we enjoy the most, and this additional resource for testing in Carlisle will help residents in our community see more of their friends and family, get businesses back on their feet and people in jobs.”
Anyone experiencing a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – should book a test at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ or by calling 119, or using the NHS COVID-19 app.
