A new drive-through coronavirus testing centre has opened in Runcorn as the government continues to increase testing capacity in the city region.
The new testing site in the south car park of the Heath Business and Technical Park on Heath Road started operating on Wednesday.
Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 can book a test at the centre either online or by calling 119.
The centre is the third to open in Halton, following walk-through facilities at the Brindley Theatre in Runcorn and the former police station and magistrates’ court site in Widnes.
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Health minister Lord Bethell said: “To respond to the coronavirus, we have built a major testing and tracing system from scratch. We are constantly working to expand and improve it with new technologies and innovations so everyone with symptoms can get a test.”
Like the rest of the city region, Halton has seen infection rates fall since they peaked in early October.
In the last week of October, the number of new cases fell 15.5% compared to the previous week.
However, the overall rate remains high, with 283 new cases per 100,000 residents being reported in the same week.
Halton is not included in the government’s mass testing programme due to start in Liverpool on Friday, but could be included if the scheme is successful and the government decides to expand it to the whole of the city region.
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