The Isle of Wight's coronavirus testing centre is increasing its opening hours.
From today (Sunday), the test centre at Newclose County Cricket Ground, Blackwater Road, Newport, will increase its opening hours to include Sundays so that testing is available seven days a week for Islanders.
The Newclose test centre is open from 8.30am until 2pm, Monday to Sunday. Please note that seven-day-a-week bookings will be available to book online from tomorrow (Saturday 24 July).
Residents are asked not to attend the centre without an appointment.
Important things to remember:
- If you have symptoms book a test and self-isolate.
- If you can't get to a test centre, you can still book a home test.
- Please don't travel on public transport to get a PCR test.
- Please don't book a PCR test if you don't have symptoms. You can take regular rapid response tests (LFT) when you don't have symptoms – these are available from most pharmacies or can be ordered online.
Most legal COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on Monday (19 July), but Islanders should continue to be extremely careful to help stop the spread of the virus and protect the NHS as cases rise and hospitalisations increase.
There are some things we can all do to help stop the virus spreading:
- Get fully vaccinated - you can make appointments or go to a walk-in clinic.
- Meet outdoors where possible and let fresh air into homes or other enclosed spaces.
- Limit close contact with people you don’t usually live with, and increase close contact slowly.
- Think about other people and consider wearing a face covering in crowded or enclosed spaces such as on public transport.
- Take a gradual return to work.
- Keep taking and recording regular rapid response LFT tests.
- Self-isolate and take a PCR test when you get symptoms.
- Self-isolate when asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace.
For more local information on COVID-19, visit keeptheislandsafe.org
People can book a test by phone on 119, online at: https://www.gov.uk/get-