Covid 19: Redcar rapid testing rolled out amid mass testing talks

Redcar council has been sent 10,000 rapid lateral flow tests

Rapid Covid tests will be introduced in an area previously dropped from the mass testing programme.

Redcar Council has received 10,000 lateral flow tests, which are able to produce results in under half an hour.

A pilot to offer tests to Redcar's 36,000 residents did not go ahead and now the authority is in talks over the cost of reintroducing it.

Councillor Steve Kay said the 10,000 rapid tests would help protect the "most vulnerable".

All councils in the Tees Valley have been offered the opportunity for residents to take part in mass testing.

But some councillors were concerned about who would pay for it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Redcar and Cleveland Council leader Mary Lanigan said an initial proposal for local authorities to staff testing stations with their own volunteers was "unacceptable".

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Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen asked whether there would be support from the Army or other resources.

"Following a conversation with council leaders they agreed they want me to go back to Matt Hancock and say we want the mass testing, but we do need the resources and the finances to run it," he said.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.

Mr Houchen also raised concerns about whether people would agree to be tested with the risk of having to self-isolate over Christmas.

Talks are expected to continue next week.

Two testing sites at the Inspire 2 Learn Car Park on Normanby Road, South Bank and the Kirkleatham Walled Garden in Redcar will be joined by a third due to open in Guisborough in December.