EAST Hampshire residents without symptoms can now access free supervised testing, or collect kits to self-test at home, from participating pharmacies across the district.
More than 20 pharmacies across East Hampshire (listed below), and more than 200 county-wide, are providing the national collect scheme.
As of Monday this week, a number of pharmacies – including in Petersfield, Bordon and Alton – will also be offering on-site supervised lateral flow testing.
This is a drop-in service but anyone wishing to have a supervised test is advised to phone ahead where possible, to enable pharmacy staff to schedule appointments and reduce waiting times.
Existing community testing sites for those without symptom will continue to operate while the pharmacy scheme is being established but will be closed from May 1.
Hampshire’s symptomatic testing sites will continue to offer test kit collection for people without symptoms from 2.30pm to 8pm, alongside the pharmacy scheme.
Hampshire County Council’s director of public health, Simon Bryant, said: “Regular, twice weekly testing is encouraged for everyone without symptoms, to help us identify more positive cases and break chains of transmission – helping us to get back to a more normal way of life.
“Rapid testing on a regular basis gives us all peace of mind that we are not putting our family, friends, co-workers or communities at risk, and pharmacies offer a quick and convenient means of getting a test or collecting a kit to self-test at home.
“Make test-record-repeat part of your weekly routine to help suppress the spread of the virus and protect the people around you.
“I would remind everyone that a positive result from a lateral flow test means you must follow self-isolation guidance and book a follow-up PCR test as soon as possible. If you have a negative result from a lateral flow test, you must still follow ‘hands, face, space’ guidance.
“Alongside the Covid vaccine, these basic behaviours and regular testing are the most effective ways of keeping infection rates down and getting us safely on the road to a summer of freedoms.”
More information about Hampshire’s Test and Trace programme, including how to get a test, can be found online at www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/coronavirus/test-and-trace/
Pharmacies offering test kit collection in East Hampshire include:
? Boots, Chawton Park Surgery, Alton
? Alton Information Office, Cross and Pillory Lane
? Boots, High Street, Alton
? Alton Health Centre
? Pill Box Chemists, Four Marks
? Gees Pharmacy, Woolmer Way, Bordon
? Boots, Forest Centre, Bordon
? Forest Surgery, Bordon
? Bordon Eco Station
? Badgerswood Surgery, Mill Lane, Headley
? Lloyds Pharmacy, Headley Road, Grayshott
? Lloyds Pharmacy, Haslemere Road, Liphook
? Boots, Liss Shopping Centre
? Day Lewis Pharmacy, Park Road, Petersfield
? Boots, High Street, Petersfield
? The Cottage, Penns Place, Petersfield
Pharmacies offering supervised lateral flow tests include:
? Alton Pharmacy, High Street (01420 83176)
? Bordon Chase Pharmacy, Forest Surgery (01420 477714)
? Petersfield Day Lewis Pharmacy (01730 263064)
Lateral flow testing and the test kit collection scheme are for people without symptoms.
Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus must book a PCR test or call 119.