A new walk-through coronavirus testing centre has opened at Newcastle University.
The site has been set up at Castle Leazes Car Park with testing getting under way on Friday morning.
Testing is available via appointment only for those who are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms – a high temperature, a continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
It comes as the North East won a week's reprieve from Tier 3 but leaders have been told they must prove existing restrictions are working.
Latest Public Health England data shows Newcastle has the ninth-highest infection rate in England after recording 1,403 cases in the week leading to October 11 – the equivalent of 463.3 cases per 100,000 people.
However, the rate has decreased from the previous week when the infection rate was 492.0, with 1,490 new cases.
Northumbria University and Newcastle University confirmed 880 new cases of coronavirus among students at their sites between October 8 and 14.
The Newcastle site is being operated in partnership with Sodexo and will offer self-administered tests.
Sean Haley, regional chair of Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: "Sodexo teams have moved quickly to set up Covid-19 testing centres as part of the industry-wide effort to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The Newcastle site will mean more people can be tested. I am proud of our colleagues who are working together with pace and dedication to support the NHS."Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face-covering throughout, including while travelling to and from the testing centre.
Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.
