Sunderland residents urged to self-test for covid after Indian variant cases confirmed in city - How to get a Covid test

Sunderland residents are being urged to play their part in driving down coronavirus by testing – after cases of the Indian variant were found in the city.
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It also comes in the lead up to the Bank Holiday, with people getting out and about more now the lockdown has eased.

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Gerry Taylor, its Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning, said with Covid still circulating testing is important in the fight against the virus.

Sunderland residents have been urged to take a LFD test on a regular basis if they have no Covid symptoms or a PCR test if they do.Sunderland residents have been urged to take a LFD test on a regular basis if they have no Covid symptoms or a PCR test if they do.
Sunderland residents have been urged to take a LFD test on a regular basis if they have no Covid symptoms or a PCR test if they do.

She urged residents to take lateral flow ‘LFD’ test and that self-testing should be done by people with no symptoms regularly.

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The message comes after the council confirmed ‘a small number of cases’ of the Indian Variant had been detected in the city on Wednesday, May 26.

Sunderland City Council would not say how many cases had been recorded and confirmed there are no plans for surge testing to be carried out in Sunderland as had happened in other areas including North Tyneside after cases of the new variant were found.

Gerry Taylor is Sunderland City Council 's Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning.Gerry Taylor is Sunderland City Council 's Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning.
Gerry Taylor is Sunderland City Council 's Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning.
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Instead people are being urged to pick up free lateral flow tests from pharmacies or have the delivered to their homes. Tests can be ordered online from the government website here.

Ms Taylor said: "These tests are important because one in three people have Covid but feel fine.

"So these tests help to find people who could be spreading the virus without knowing it.”

Anyone with symptoms of covid, or who has tested positive with a lateral flow test should take a PCR test which can be booked through www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

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It is possible to carry and pass on the virus even after you have been vaccinated, Ms Taylor added, so even those who have had their jabs should still be testing regularly.

She said: "If we all test, isolate when we need to, take up both doses of the vaccine when it is offered and continue to follow hands, face, space and fresh air we will keep infections under control in Sunderland. "

Anyone over 16 who has not done a test before can book an assisted test via www.sunderland.gov.uk/symptomfreetest.

Self-isolation help is available via www.sunderland.gov.uk/selfisolation or by calling 0800 234 6084.

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