More coronavirus testing sites planned for Sunderland as fears drive-thru only centres are delaying full picture of outbreak in the city

Sunderland has been ensured a higher level of tests through three NHS Test and Trace centres because it has become an area of intervention – and demand for the service led to queues of traffic on routes leading into Doxford last week.

But the city’s health chiefs want more to be done to help those without access to their own vehicle as they work to drive down the spread, with new restrictions brought in for the city and six other North East council areas last week.

Gillian Gibson, director of public health with Sunderland City Council, said the increase in cases led to a greater availability of testing based on Wearside, although stressed the sites are open to anyone who requests one via the NHS.

She said the information relayed by Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, in the briefing on Monday, September 21, with Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, rang true when he said the number of cases were doubling each week – in Sunderland that has been seen over an eight-day period.

The council is also running its own test and trace team, which follows up NHS calls to get finer details and a local understanding on where those who tested positive have been as it targets its own response.

Ms Gibson said: “My big concern at the moment is people who don’t have access to a car because they need a car to get to the test sites.

"If you live in Marley Park and you need to get to Doxford Park, and you can’t use public transport, it is very difficult for them and then they have to ask for a home test and there can be a lag with those.

"We have got our three sites at Doxford Park, Houghton and now Pallion, but now were are looking at sites where people can just walk to them and we are looking at areas with low car ownership to try and place them there.

"We are just working out at the moment to try and find suitable places for them.”

For information on now to arrange a test, click here.

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