Rapid Hampshire testing programme launches in bid to learn more about new Covid variants

The move by Hampshire County Council comes after a single confirmed case of the South African variant near Basingstoke and is one of a number of similar testing programmes taking place across the country.

A team from the county council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, along with local volunteers from the Red Cross and REACT, will visit 2,000 properties over two days in a bid to gain insights to fight the disease.

Director of Public Health for the county council Simon Bryant, said: ‘The important message for the community is that the risk to local people from this single case is very low. There is no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness or that protection is not provided by the vaccines. Furthermore, known contacts of the case have been traced and notified.

‘The test is voluntary, but I would urge local residents to take part, as the confidential findings from this testing programme will feed into national research designed to help beat the virus, so that we can return to normal life as quickly as possible.’

The two-day testing programme will involve testing kits delivered to local householders accompanied by clear instructions on how to register the kit online and how to self-administer the test.

Arrangements are being made for those unable to register online to do so via the Hampshire Coronavirus Support and Helpline.

Householders should receive their results from NHS Test and Trace within three days.

Anyone who has tested positive for coronavirus within the last 90 days does not need to take this further test.

Contact the Hampshire Coronavirus Support and Helpline on 0333 370 4000 with any questions.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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