Don’t miss out on 31 March deadline for COVID-19 worker testing programme

Around 1 in 3 people who have COVID-19 have no symptoms (asymptomatic) and will spread it without realising.

To combat this, the Government has launched an initiative whereby businesses can test asymptomatic staff unable to work from home either themselves or by using an approved testing provider.

But whilst they can secure the tests until the end of June, they must register for the programme before 31 March.

Now, health chiefs are encouraging as many businesses as possible not to miss out.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health, said: “Broadening testing to identify those showing no symptoms will mean finding positive cases more quickly, and breaking chains of transmission.

“I’d encourage as many business as possible to register for this government scheme before it’s too late. By doing so, they’ll not only protect themselves, but also all those around them.”

Businesses can register at www.gov.uk/get-workplace-corpnavirus-tests.

To complement the programme, Leeds City Council has opened three testing stations across the city for asymptomatic people who can’t work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are located as follows:

• Headingley Campus, Leeds Beckett University, LS6 3QS.
• City Campus, Leeds Beckett University, LS1 3HE.
• The Old Fire Station, Gipton, LS9 6NL.

For full details of opening times for the above sites, and all COVID-19 testing options in Leeds, please visit https://www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-where-to-go-for-testing/.