Coronavirus testing near me: can I get tested for Covid-19 in Sunderland?

If you think you have symptoms and want to find out if, and where, you can get tested in the Sunderland area, here’s what you need to know.

Who can be tested?

The government has said that millions more people will now be eligible for testing. These are:

all essential workers including NHS and social care workers with symptoms (see the full list of essential workers)

anyone over 65 with symptoms

anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home (for example, construction workers, shop workers, emergency plumbers and delivery drivers)

They will also test anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus that lives with those identified above.

In addition, they are also testing:

social care workers and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms) both to investigate outbreaks and, following successful pilots, as part of a rolling programme to test all care homes

NHS workers and patients without symptoms where there is a clinical need, in line with NHS England guidance

This means anyone in one of these groups can find out whether they have the virus. 

Note: these lists apply to England only.

When is testing most effective?

The test is only guaranteed to be accurate if someone is symptomatic.

The government advises that you should get tested in the first three days of coronavirus symptoms appearing, although testing is considered effective up until day five.

How do I arrange a test?

The self-referral and employer referral test booking routes are available for essential workers who work in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Self-referral

Essential workers who are self-isolating can book a test directly. You can select a regional test site drive-through appointment or home test kit.

Home test kit availability will initially be limited, but more will become available.

Employer referral

The employer referral portal allows employers to refer essential workers for testing who are self-isolating either because they or member(s) of their household have coronavirus symptoms.

This is a secure portal for employers to use to upload the full list of names and contact details of self-isolating essential workers.

If referred through this portal, essential workers will then receive a text message with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves (if symptomatic) or their symptomatic household member(s) at a regional testing site.

Where are the test centres in the Sunderland area?

The car park of the IKEA store in Gateshead is currently being used as a COVID-19 testing centre. Those who are eligible to be tested can be tested here.

The company previously said: ”We can confirm that a test centre for NHS staff will open in the car park of IKEA Gateshead on Thursday 9th April.

“We are enormously proud of the NHS and proud to support them and the government in this small way. We will continue to support them in the best way we can.”