Enfield Council rolls out mass coronavirus testing for borough's major employers

Enfield Council is working with some of the borough’s biggest employers to offer their workers free rapid tests for coronavirus to protect them and their families. The Council is working with local large employers and has set up coronavirus rapid testing sites in the borough at Warburtons, London Energy Ltd and Johnson Matthey who collectively employ thousands of workers.  A further seven open access, walk-in testing sites have been set up at sites across Enfield which may be used by anyone who do not have symptoms and cannot work from home during the present national lockdown.One in three people with coronavirus do not show symptoms of the virus (a new, continuous cough, a loss or change to their sense of taste or smell or a high temperature) and can be spreading it inadvertently.

Rapid testing enables people to know if they have the virus so they can self-isolate and slow the spread of coronavirus. 

People who have symptoms must not visit rapid test centres, instead they should self-isolate and book a test by ringing 119 or visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-testPeople who live in areas where the South African variant of coronavirus has been detected must not visit a rapid test centre and should instead follow the public health advice given by local NHS officials.
 
Enfield Council Leader, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, said: “We are doing everything we can to fight coronavirus in Enfield and a fundamental part of our plan is to mass test people who can’t work from home to ensure they do not have the virus. 

 
“So far we have carried out more than 35,000 rapid tests on members of the public and delivering rapid tests to businesses will enable them to keep their workforces safe and stop the spread of this virus.
 
“However, it remains vitally important that everyone follows the public health rules – stay at home except for essential purposes such as buying food and going to work if you cannot work from home and practice the hands, face, space guidance if you do need to leave the house.”
 
You can find out where Enfield’s Rapid Test Centres are at www.enfield.gov.uk/masstesting. They are open 9am to 6pm every day for people without symptoms of coronavirus and no booking or documentation is required, Enfield Council recommends that people are tested at least twice a week.