Covid: Surge testing in Wokingham and Reading

People in the areas affected having been visiting test centres

Surge testing is being rolled out in Reading and Wokingham amid concerns over the Covid-19 Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

Health officials are encouraging everyone over 11 who lives or works in the area to take a PCR test regardless of whether they are showing symptoms.

It comes after a small number of confirmed cases of the Delta variant were identified in the area.

Enhanced contact tracing will also be used for people with the variant.

Meradin Peachey, director of public health for Berkshire West, said: "I'm hoping we get at least 50% of people coming forward, and even that would pick up a lot of positive tests we didn't know about before so even that would be success to us."

She previously said cases were mainly among young people with "virtually nobody over 60 or anyone who has been vaccinated".

She added: "If the variant spreads and becomes even more, it may mutate again and the big concern is that vaccines won't work and that's my big concern."

The post codes and areas in Reading and Wokingham where additional testing is being offered are:

• RG1 3

• RG1 5

• RG1 6

• RG1 7

• Bulmershe

• Whitegates

• Evendons

• Norreys

• Wescott

Rising numbers of coronavirus cases and the emergence of the new, more transmissible Delta variant have put the final stage of lockdown easing in England in jeopardy.

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government was "absolutely open" to delaying the final lifting of England's Covid lockdown on 21 June if necessary.

He added the Delta variant first seen in India was about 40% more transmissible than the Alpha (Kent) strain, but hospitalisations were "broadly flat" which meant Covid vaccines were working.

A small number of confirmed cases of the Delta variant have been seen in Reading and Wokingham