Rapid testing for key workers and those who cannot work from home is set to launch across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough from this weekend to help track cases of Coronavirus and drive down transmission rates.

A number of sites are being set up across the county offering rapid tests, free of charge, to people aged 18 and over who have no symptoms of Coronavirus. Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have been allocated 100,000 tests in the next six weeks, with the potential for the pilot to be extended.

Around one in three people who are infected with COVID-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the disease without knowing it. Broadening testing to identify key workers showing no symptoms will mean finding positive cases more quickly, which helps break chains of transmission.

Initially there will be six sites across the county, with the potential to set up pop-up sites in areas of high need if required.

• The Hub, High Street, Cambourne CB23 6GW (from Wednesday 3 February)
• Queen Mary Centre, Queen’s Road, Wisbech PE13 2PE (from Thursday 4 February)
• Soham Town Rangers Football Club, Julius Martin Lane, Soham CB7 5EQ (from Friday 5 February)
• The Coneygear Centre, Buttsgrove Way, Huntingdon PE29 1PE (from Thursday 11 February)
• The Meadows Community Centre, 1 St Catherine’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3XJ (from Friday 12 February)
• St Mark’s Church, Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2SN (already open)

Each site will be open 8:00AM to 8:00PM, Monday to Saturday, apart from the Peterborough site which is open every day from 9:00AM to 2:00PM and 4:00PM to 7:00PM.

To book a ‘lateral flow’ test, which takes about fifteen minutes, eligible residents need to visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/rapidtesting or www.peterborough.gov.uk/rapidtesting

Everyone who takes a test, even if it is negative, must continue to follow the rules which includes leaving home only for essential reasons, limiting contact with people they do not live with, and ensuring good practice where contact has to be made, such as social distancing, wearing a mask or PPE, and hand washing.

As part of the pilot, the council will also be offering workforce testing where many staff are based on site and in key sectors such as food production. Groups who may be more vulnerable and therefore more likely to catch the virus will also be offered rapid testing.

Testing involving care home staff will continue to take place separately to the pilot.

People with symptoms will not be tested at the rapid testing sites. Anyone with one or more of these Coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature; a new continuous cough; or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.