Covid: Surge testing for South African variant in Southport ends

An NHS worker hands over a test kit at a drive-through centre in Southport

Testing for the South African variant of coronavirus in Southport is to end after three weeks.

Sefton Council said its teams visited 17,000 homes to deliver home testing kits since the variant was found earlier this month.

People were also tested at drive-through and other temporary centres in the Merseyside seaside town.

The last tests will take place at the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre before it closes at 18:30 GMT.

The council's executive director Andrea Watts said: "The community have been magnificent with people being so supportive on the doorstep and wanting to do whatever they can to help our efforts."

A member of NHS Test and Trace staff in Southport

The council stressed that people can still get a Covid-19 test at Splashworld even if they do not have have any symptoms.

About 80,000 people in England were initially offered tests for the South African new variant in eight areas across Surrey, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Southport and Walsall.

It was later expanded, with surge testing also taking place in other areas including Manchester for the Kent variant.

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