Coronavirus: Stoke City FC ground to become testing site

The testing site at the Bet365 Stadium will be operational from next week

Stoke City FC's stadium is set to be used as a coronavirus testing site for key workers from next week.

The car park at the Bet365 stadium is an "ideal location" for testing, Staffordshire County Council's director of health, Richard Harling, said.

Burton Albion's ground will also be used to test "front-line workers" including NHS staff, carers and emergency personnel.

The football clubs will also provide volunteers to support the testing.

"The testing will be for NHS staff and other front-line workers including colleagues from local authorities, care homes, police and fire, and help ensure we can keep as many as possible at the front line," Dr Harling said.

The second testing site in Staffordshire will be at Burton Albion FC in Burton-upon-Trent

Testing, which will begin next week, will only be available to key workers who have been referred to the site.

It will be a drive-through service, Dr Harling said, and workers will receive throat swabs and get their results within a couple of days.

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The government set a target of 100,000 tests per day by the end of April, but has so far struggled to get near that number.

The football grounds are among 50 testing sites across the country which have been set up and Dr Harling expects them to be operational "for at least the next few weeks".

Stoke City's managing director, Richard Smith, said the club was "delighted to be able to assist the NHS" and thanked volunteers from the security and stewarding teams who will be supporting the testing.

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