COVID ‘test while you shop’ will be rolled out in London this weekend as 75,000 people could be swabbed to avoid the capital going into Tier 3.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered the extra testing to be carried out as soon as this weekend as London has the highest Covid infection rate in the country.
Yesterday, London mayor Sadiq Khan and council group leaders also agreed on community testing – which included 10 extra mobile testing units alongside 70 rapid test centres.
Some of the new testing units will be close to busy shopping areas so that people can “test-while-you-shop” and results will come back within 30 minutes.
The London Fire Brigade will also help run testing sites at shopping centres in Westfield, Romford and Lakeside.
The additional testing is taking place in Barking and Dagenham, Hackney and the City, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
School staff will also be able to access 44,000 home test kits to use before schools return in January.
Mr Hancock said: “I urge every student, parent and teacher in these areas to step forward for testing — irrespective of whether they have symptoms. While Covid-19 may be lower risk to children and young people, it still poses a significant risk to their families and communities.”
Thousands of teen schoolkids will get Covid tests amid fears they are fuelling a devastating third wave.
It comes as Mr Khan announced the deployment of more Covid cops and marshals on the capital’s streets.
SOARING INFECTION RATE
The last-minute blitz also includes more “hands, face, space” signs on the capital’s high streets in a desperate attempt to quell the spread of the virus.
The nation’s tiers will be reviewed on Wednesday and London’s infection rate is the highest in the UK.
It leaves the capital at risk of moving into the ‘very high alert’ category, something the London mayor is keen to avoid. The whole capital is currently under Tier 2 restrictions.
If the city plunged into Tier 3, pubs and hospitality venues would be forced to close and people would no longer be allowed to meet friends in gardens.
A decision on whether to change London’s tier will be made on Wednesday and any change will come into effect on Saturday, December 19.
The rules on gathering with people from other households would then be relaxed from December 23 for five days to allow families to get together over Christmas, but other restrictions would remain in place.
