Covid-19: Mass testing in Kirklees paused due to lockdown

About 20,000 people have been tested since the sites opened on 18 December

A mass coronavirus testing programme in West Yorkshire will only remain open to critical workers, officials have said.

Kirklees Council was aiming to test 50,000 people after opening four sites across the district on 18 December.

However, the authority has now said people should stay home wherever possible due to the new lockdown.

The rapid test sites, for people without symptoms, have to date carried out 20,000 tests, with 300 people returning a positive result.

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It follows a pilot project in Liverpool where people were offered rapid testing and Covid-19 infection levels subsequently fell.

Kirklees' director of public health, Rachel Spencer-Henshall, said: "Many thousands of people have stepped up to get a test and protect their families and community.

"We've found hundreds of cases in people who may never have otherwise known they were carrying the virus."

However, she said: "We have to act on the risks that we are all facing. The most important thing people can do for the next few weeks is to stay at home.

"If you have a job that means you will be working outside your home, you can still come to one of our centres to get a test if you don't have symptoms."

People who are unable to work from home are still being encouraged to get a weekly test

The measures come into force from Thursday at the sites in Batley, Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Ravensthorpe.

Meanwhile, the UK has reported a further 1,041 people have died with coronavirus, the highest daily death toll since April.

There are currently 30,074 Covid patients in UK hospitals.

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