Nearly 100,000 rapid (lateral flow) tests have been carried out at Knowsley's SMART Testing sites, Knowsley Council has confirmed.
SMART testing - testing for people who do not display Covid-19 symptoms - launched three months ago to help combat the extremely high number of Covid-19 cases in the borough Knowsley.
The testing identifies cases of coronavirus where the person is not experiencing symptoms and is potentially unknowingly spreading the virus.
Knowsley Council today confirmed that at close of play on 14 March, 99,619 tests had been carried across sites in Knowsley and 2,192 positive cases had been identified, meaning 2.2% of people tested have isolated, along with their households and support bubbles.
The council said this is a "huge milestone" for Knowsley’s testing programme and that SMART Testing will continue to play a crucial role in the borough’s recovery over the coming weeks and months as restrictions are eased.
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Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: "I am delighted to see that so many people have been tested for COVID-19 despite not having any symptoms and made use of this fantastic service.
"We have seven testing sites across the Borough with testing available seven days a week.
"Those people undertaking regular tests as they can’t work from home are playing a vital role in keeping their colleagues safe and reducing the risk of COVID-19 outbreak.
"It is only by breaking the chain of transmission and keeping infection rates down that we can move along the Government’s roadmap and back to normality.
"I would urge everyone to make use of SMART Testing as we start to increase our social contact with friends and loved ones, return to workplaces and enjoy the easing of restrictions."
Knowsley's three main centres operate seven days a week, Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.
The sites are located at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park on Longview Lane in Huyton, Volair Kirkby on Cherryfield Drive in Kirkby and Volair Halewood on Baileys Lane, Halewood.
There are also the following pop-up sites in the borough:
Prescot One Stop Shop
Prescot Shopping Centre, Prescot, L34 5GA
Wednesday - Friday 8.30am to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 4pm
Knowsley Village Hall
School La, Prescot L34 9EN
Monday and Tuesday 8am to 6pm
Sunday 10am-4pm
For Housing, Stockbridge Village
Wednesday to Friday 8am until 6pm
Saturday 10am until 4pm
St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Whiston
Monday and Tuesday 8am until 6pm
Sunday 10am until 4pm
