Here's how to get a half-hour Covid test TODAY in Corby and Northampton if you don't have symptoms

Two new community COVID-19 Lateral Flow Device Testing Centres have opened this week in Northampton and Corby to help identify people who may be carrying the virus but don't know it.

Lateral flow device testing allows quick, regular testing of those who do not have COVID-19 symptoms to identify those who may be infectious without any syptoms, in order to reduce spread of the virus.

This rapid testing enables swift action to be taken to protect colleagues and family members of those who test positive with COVID-19 and to reduce any onward risk of transmission.

Both Corby and Northampton have experienced above average case numbers in recent weeks and there has been a suggestion that the high number of people working in manufacturing and logistics might be vulnerable. These groups, among several others, will be prioritised for tests.

The new community testing sites are at Lodge Park Sports Centre in Shetland Way, Corby, and the University of Northampton's Waterside Campus and involve a swab of the mouth and nose. Results are available within about 30 minutes.

Testing slots must be booked online in advance and priority is given to workers in the following sectors:

- Health or social care

- Transportation

- Education or childcare (if not receiving regular rapid tests via the workplace)

- Essential shop, supermarkets or financial services

- Food production or processing

- Warehousing, packing or distribution

- Essential public sector services including waste, bin collections, security etc

- Construction, utilities or communications

- Agency workers

Health bosses are advising these people to get tested on a weekly basis to help to reduce the spread of the virus.

Dr Rhosyn Harris, Consultant in Public Health at Northamptonshire County Council said: “We are delighted to be able to launch our new Community Lateral Flow Device testing sites for people without symptoms in the county this week, it gives us another tool with which we can fight this virus.

“Asymptomatic testing (testing people without symptoms) enables us to find the ‘one in three’ people who may carry the virus with no symptoms, who may otherwise spread the virus to family members and colleagues, which could inevitably lead to hospital admissions or even deaths.

“More of these sites will start to appear over coming weeks, and some larger workforces will also be launching their own LFD programmes.”

For more information on Lateral Flow device testing and guidance on how to book a testing slot, click here. There are some slots available today.

If you do have COVID-19 symptoms, please do not use these sites, please call 119 or visit the Government's testing website.