Door to door testing is taking place in parts of Southport amid concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 variant which was first identified in South Africa.
"Surge" tests are being carried out, targeting Southport's Norwood, Cambridge and Dukes wards.
In addition to regular testing - where if someone has symptoms (a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste) they can book a walk-through or drive-through swab test - the surge testing asks everyone in a single area to test themselves regardless of whether or not they feel unwell, with a view to monitoring transmission in the community.
What does the testing involve?
Council representatives knock at each house in a selected postcode, ask how many people above the age of 16 live at the household and hand deliver the correct amount of PCR testing kits.
Recipients of door-to-door testing kits are warned not to post their tests and that they will be collected by hand within hours of their delivery, the Mirror reports.
The PCR test includes a plastic-wrapped pack, along with a sealed swab, a clear ziplock bag, a plastic vial, a clear Biohazard bag, a white absorbent pad and a security seal for the cardboard box it is returned in.
The first step is to register your test on the government website using the barcode included on the pack, your email and your phone number - this is essential in order to receive your results.
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The door-to-door testing has a slightly different process to the typical home test - instead of inputting the normal 10-digit code, you must scan the Royal Mail barcode found on the front of the cardboard box and then add the 11-character reference from the sticker on the vial.
A booklet included with the testing kit gives a clear 14 step guide on how to perform the home test.
A link to an instructional video is also provided in the instructions.
After thoroughly cleaning your hands, you are required to take the swab and brush it across your tonsils for 10 seconds. This is followed by inserting the swab into one nostril, rotating for 15 seconds.
The swab is then put into the vial containing 2ml of nucleic acid sample preservation fluid, once inside half of the plastic stick is snapped off and the vial can be sealed without bending the stick.
This is then placed inside of the biohazard bag with the absorbent pad and sealed.
The included cardboard box requires self-assembly before being sealed with the provided sticker.
Council officials then collect the tests and results generally come back quickly, officials say.
