Birmingham to pilot 'drop and collect' coronavirus tests

Birmingham City Council said it must boost testing as coronavirus cases rise

A city council says it will be one of the first to pilot "drop and collect" coronavirus tests as cases increase.

Birmingham City Council said the rise in cases of about 60% was "extremely concerning".

The pilot is understood to include a self-test at home which will be delivered and collected for people struggling to get to testing sites.

Council leader Ian Ward urged the city to pull together to prevent a return to the "dark days" of lockdown.

The rise in coronavirus cases in Birmingham is "extremely concerning", Mr Ward said

In the week ending 15 August, figures from Public Health England show Birmingham's rate of infection was 32.1 cases per 100,000 people, with 367 positive tests recorded.

It marks an increase from a rate of 19.7 - 225 cases - the previous week.

The local authority has already announced a ban on non-essential visits to care homes in a bid to keep cases down and Mr Ward said other lockdown restrictions "could all happen again if we don't push back against the rise in Birmingham's coronavirus cases".

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The council is also calling for more drive-in and walk-in testing sites

He added the authority was lobbying the government to increase access to tests in locations such as GP surgeries as well as increasing walk-in and drive-in centres across the city.

"We have to carry on boosting the rates of testing," he said. "Now is the time to step up and all do our bit for Birmingham."

Cabinet member for health and social care Paulette Hamilton said: "If I was to place a bet, I would say at some point between now and Christmas we will be in a local lockdown.

"But I hope I lose the bet."

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