Residents in specific postcodes are encouraged to get a one-off test at one of five sites across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Two additional mobile testing units (MTUs) will open in Bristol and South Gloucestershire tomorrow (Wednesday 10 February), as part of the community surge testing programme.
The site in Bristol is located at The Imperial Sports Ground in West Town Lane, BS14 9EA. The site in South Gloucestershire is located at Yate Common, Westerleigh Road, BS37 8RZ.
People who live or work in specific postcodes, are over 16 and do not have symptoms of Covid-19, are encouraged to get a one-off PCR test at one of the five MTUs rolled out to support community surge testing in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
All MTU services across both areas will be open from 9am to 6pm, seven days-a-week.
Additional testing aims to identify asymptomatic cases of the virus, help health experts identify where the mutation is present locally and enable people to isolate if their result is positive.
Christina Gray, Director of Public Health at Bristol City Council and Sara Blackmore, Director of Public Health at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We strongly encourage people to get a one-off test at their nearest site to help us learn more about the variant and reduce local infection rates.
“This is additional community surge testing that will take place over the next couple of weeks to really enhance our local efforts. We’re also asking employers in the specific postcodes to encourage their employees to get a test if they are eligible.”
You can get a test if you’ve been vaccinated, and if you are currently having repeat lateral flow (rapid) testing for work.
If you have had a positive test result in the past 90 days you do not need to take a test.
From tomorrow (Wednesday 10 February) MTU locations include:
- Bristol & Bath Science Park, Dirac Crescent, Emersons Green, BS16 7FR.
- Bristol City Council Testing Centre, 17-18 Wellington Road, BS2 9DA.
- Imperial Retail Park, Hartcliffe Way, BS13 7TJ.
- The Imperial Sports Ground, West Town Lane, BS14 9EA
- Yate Common, Westerleigh Road, BS37 8RZ
For information about additional community testing in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, visit the Bristol City Council website and the South Gloucestershire Council website.
You can get tested if you live in one of these postcode areas:
BS1 3
BS2 0
BS2 8
BS2 9
BS3 5
BS4 4
BS5 0
BS5 6
BS5 7
BS6 5
BS6 6
BS8 2
BS9 4
BS14 9
BS16 1
BS16 2
BS16 3
BS16 5
BS16 6
BS16 7
BS16 9
BS37 8
BS8 3 (only within the Bristol City Council boundary, check your postcode on GOV.UK)
BS14 0 (only within the Bristol City Council boundary, check your postcode on GOV.UK)
Each postcode is split as it would be if written down. The number after a space is the first number of the second part of the postcode. For example, BS1 3 is not BS13, and BS3 5 is not BS35.
‘Collect and Drop’ sites
The two week community surge testing programme has also involved the roll out of ‘Collect and Drop’ sites in five libraries in Bristol, and three libraries and two community centres in South Gloucestershire, where eligible residents can collect Covid-19 tests to administer at home.
The ‘Collect and Drop’ sites in Bristol are:
- Fishponds Library, Robinson House, Hockey’s Ln, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 3HL
- Henleaze Library, 30 Northumbria Dr, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4HP
- Junction 3 Library, 138b Lower Ashley Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 0FJ
- Whitchurch Library, 7 Oatlands Ave, Bristol BS14 0SX
- Wick Road Library, Wick Rd, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4HE.
The ‘Collect and Drop’ sites in South Gloucestershire are:
- Emersons Green Library, Emersons Way, Emersons Green BS16 7AP
- Downend Library, Buckingham Gardens, Downend, BS16 5TW
- Staple Hill Library, Broad St, Staple Hill, BS16 5LS
- Shireway Community Centre, Shire Way, Yate BS37 8YS (opening on Wednesday 10 February)
- Westerleigh Village Hall, BS37 8QL (opening on Thursday 11 February)
For guidance on how to take a home test, watch this instructional video from the Department of Health and Social Care: How to take a coronavirus self-test swab – YouTube.
