Covid testing 'blitz' in Liverpool as pop up sites target low uptake neighbourhoods

A testing 'blitz' is taking place across Liverpool in a drive to get life going again in the city as coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Eight pop-up sites, which are for people without Covid symptoms, have been set up in areas where take up of the city's mass testing has been lower.

Councillors have also been going door to door in their neighbourhoods, inviting people to head down and get tested.

City Councillors have been knocking on doors inviting people to get tested. Credit: ITV News

It's hoped familiar faces will help dispel any myths about taking the test, and overcome any language or cultural barriers that may be keeping people away.

The weekend coronavirus testing programme is being called 'super' Saturday and Sunday. Credit: PA Images

Armed forces, who were previously staffing testing centres in secondary schools, are being deployed to set up and managed the temporary sites.

They got the eight test centres up and running within hours.

NEW TESTING SITES:

  • Pagoda Centre, Henry Street, City Centre

  • Church of Latter Day Saints, Millbank, Tuebrook

  • Everton Park Lifestyles Fitness Centre, Great Homer Street, Everton

  • Longmoor Social Club, Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley

  • Rotunda, Great Mersey Street, Kirkdale

  • Salvation Army Prescot Road , Old Swan

  • All Saints Church, Broad Green Road, Old Swan

  • Earle Road Hub, Earle Road, Picton

Joe Anderson, the Mayor of Liverpool, said he was "hugely grateful" to those who had been tested.

He added: "This is about taking the programme out into the community to venues that are familiar to local people, and working with councillors to use their knowledge and connections to encourage as many people as possible to get tested.

"The more people who get tested, the more chance we have of continuing the decline in positive cases we have seen in recent weeks, which has led to us being placed in Tier 2.

"We want to get people into the testing habit so we can keep levels low in our city up to and beyond Christmas, through the cold winter months and in to spring – because the last thing any of us want is a return to a national lockdown, or local restrictions, in January or February."

Liverpool has become the first region to move from Tier 3 to Tier 2 - allowing many businesses to open up in time for Christmas.

The Liverpool City region became the first area in the country to move from Tier 3 to Tier 2 after taking part in the Government's mass testing pilot scheme.

A new, sustainable operating model for testing people without symptoms is currently being worked through and will be announced in due course.

More details of the testing programme in Liverpool can be found at here.

CURRENT TESTING SITES - for people without symptoms.

The centres are:

  • Aintree Baptist Church, Longmoor Lane, L9 0EH

  • Aintree Racecourse, Ormskirk Road, Aintree, L9 5AS

  • Alder Sports and Social Club, Alder Rd, L12 2AY

  • Bridge Community Centre, Daneville Road, L4 9RG

  • Croxteth Sports Centre, Altcross Road, L11 0BS

  • Croxteth Hall, off Muirhead Avenue East, L11 1EH

  • David Lloyd Speke, 6 The Aerodrome, L24 8QD

  • Deysbrook Village Community Centre, Deysbrook Way, West Derby, L12 4XF

  • Devonshire Hotel, Edge Lane, L7 9LD

  • East Wavertree and Childwall Community Association, 129A Dunbabin Rd, L16 7QQ

  • Eldonian Village Community Hub, Burlington Street, L3 6LG

  • Exhibition Centre Liverpool, Kings Dock, L3 4FP

  • Greenbank Sports Academy, Greenbank Lane, L17 1AG

  • Heath Hall, Heath Road, L19 4UH

  • Kirkdale Community Centre, 238A Stanley Road, L5 7OP

  • LACE Centre, Croxteth Drive, Sefton Park, L17 1AA

  • Lee Jones Centre, 119-133 Limekiln Lane, L5 8SN

  • Lifestyles Alsop Fitness Centre, 1 Walton Village, L4 6RW

  • Lifestyles Austin Rawlinson, Conleach Road, Speke, L24 0TR

  • Lifestyles Ellergreen, Ellergreen Road, L11 2XY

  • Liverpool FC Anfield Stadium, L4 0TH

  • Lifestyles Garston, Long Lane, L19 6PE

  • Lifestyles Park Road, Steble Street, L8 6QH

  • Lifestyles Walton, Walton Hall Park, L4 9XP

  • Liverpool Hope University Sports Centre, Hope Park, Taggart Avenue, L169JD

  • Liverpool Tennis Centre, Wellington Road, L15 4LE

  • LJMU IM Marsh Sports Centre, Holmefield Road, L19 3PE

  • Merseyside Caribbean Centre, Amberley Street, Toxteth, L8 1YJ

  • Salvation Army, Mildenhall Road, Belle Vale, L25 2SN

  • St Hilda’s Church Hall, Stuart Avenue, L25 0NN

  • St Luke’s Church, Princess Drive, L14 8XG

  • St Stephen’s Church Hall, Belle Vale Rd, L25 2PQ

  • University of Liverpool gym, Bedford Street North, L69 7ZN

  • Woodlands Community Centre, 16 Woodlands Square, L27 5RZ

  • 15th Fairfield Scout Group, 142 Edge Lane Drive, L13 4AD

You can check how busy the centres are by looking at the live map.