Author: Martin Driver

Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health Margaret Jones, has written to managers of the Borough’s supermarkets to support their efforts to keep customers and staff safe from COVID-19.

In her letter, Mrs Jones thanks them for their tireless work and for the measures stores are taking to ensure COVID safe practices are followed by members of the public. These include ensuring all staff and customers wear a face covering unless medically exempt, that people shop on their own where possible and that they maintain distancing in store.

Other measures include controlling numbers in the store, layouts, signs and floor markings to promote social distancing, providing hand sanitizer and the facilities to disinfect shopping trollies and baskets and frequent disinfection of regularly-touched surfaces.

SMART test centres

Mrs Jones also reminds store managers that their staff can use Sefton Council’s SMART test centres at Bootle Leisure Centre, Aintree Race Course and Splash World in Southport.

The Lateral Flow tests available at the sites are for people without coronavirus symptoms. The results tell people whether they are unknowingly carrying the COVID-19 virus and can help prevent them from spreading it accidentally to customers, colleagues and family members who may be vulnerable. Results can come through in as little as 30 minutes.

This week, the Council has extended opening hours at its three test sites to 8am to 8pm to make it easier for people who are working to go along for a test. No appointments are necessary. It is recommended that those who are working and having to go out and mix with others should get tested every five days.

People wanting a test can check on the live Find a Test map to see if the sites are busy and how long they might have to wait.

Essential purposes

Because the Government’s latest regulations say that people in England must ‘stay at home’ except for essential purposes, only key workers, including those who work in the shops and supermarkets that are open and those with caring commitments during the lockdown should now go for a SMART test. Everyone else should be staying at home, not mixing with others outside our household or bubble, and only going out for local exercise and to shop for essentials. This means we don’t currently need a SMART test unless there are specific circumstances.

Margaret Jones said:

“In my role as a Director of Public Health and as a supermarket user, I really do appreciate the efforts that the stores and their staff are making to enable us to buy the essential supplies we need and keep us safe.

“It is important we all play our part by following the guidance that’s in place for our own safety and respecting that supermarket staff are just doing their job when they ask us to comply.

“And, anyone who is having to go out to work can and should go to get tested and regularly re-tested at our three SMART test sites, from 8am to 8pm seven days a week.”

She finishes her letter with a reminder that anyone showing coronavirus symptoms – a fever, a new continuous cough or a loss of taste or smell should self-isolate and book a test straight away by visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test  or by calling 119.

From Wednesday 20^th January, Sefton Council is extending the opening hours of its three SMART coronavirus test sites to 8am to 8pm.

SMART coronavirus testing for people with NO symptoms is now focused on key workers and those with caring commitments. The longer opening hours will make it easier for those people to attend the walk-through sites, at Bootle Leisure Centre, Splash World in Southport and Aintree Racecourse.

Highest risk

Aimed to protect those at highest risk, SMART testing will find people who do not have symptoms but are infected by the virus. This will help prevent them unknowingly passing it on which will, in turn, reduce transmission across the local community.

People who should be attending for tests and regular re-tests include taxi drivers and public transport workers, essential retail workers, paid or unpaid carers, delivery drivers, childcare providers, people in the blue light services, pharmacists and postal workers.

Mixing

It is recommended that people who do have to continue mixing with others during lockdown, and do not have symptoms, get a SMART test around twice a week. The Lateral Flow Tests used can provide a result in as little as 30 minutes.

People wanting a test can check on the live Find a Test map to see if the sites are busy and how long you might have to wait.

Anyone whose SMART test result is positive is now required by law to self-isolate for 10 days, in line with national regulations.

A follow-up PCR test to confirm the positive result is no longer required.

NHS guidance on how to self-isolate.

Vital services

Sefton Council Leader, Cllr Ian Maher said: “While it is important that the majority of us follow the Government’s regulations by staying at home, we must also recognise the important work of those people across our Borough who are still going out to work and providing vital services, supporting our local communities and protecting the most vulnerable.

“It is only right then that we do what we can to support those people and making it easier for them to go for a SMART test is just one way of achieving that.”

Opening at 8am will involve some test centre staff arriving an hour earlier, at 7am, so they can be tested before starting work. Part of the preparations meant ensuring those who use public transport could get there on time and that those working until 8pm can get home after they finish.

Stay at home

Cllr Ian Maher added: “While people in these groups are out working in these vital roles, it’s important that the rest of us stay at home, that we don’t mix with others outside our household or bubble, and that we only go out for local exercise and to shop for essentials.

“And this means we won’t need a SMART test unless there are specific circumstances.”

While SMART testing is for people who do not have symptoms, anyone who develops a high temperature, a new continuous cough or who loses their sense of taste or smell, should immediately arrange to get a coronavirus test by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119.