Please note that most of the lateral-flow testing sites in West Berkshire closed on 31 August 2021.
The government is urging everyone who does not have Covid-19 symptoms to have free Covid-19 lateral flow tests twice weekly.
It’s important because one in three people have coronavirus but don’t have symptoms – so they might feel fine but actually be spreading the virus without knowing it. Lateral flow testing is most effective when undertaken twice weekly, at least three to four days apart.
Here is important advice from West Berkshire Council about testing in the district (see below for links from councils in surrounding areas).
Information from West Berkshire Council
There are two ways to get tested: visit a testing site or get test kits to do at home (see details below).
Testing sites
Anyone 16 years and over is welcome to visit a community testing site below. Please visit this page on West Berkshire Council’s website for more information. You are also welcome to turn up and be tested without an appointment.
- The Globe, Newbury (Bartholomew Street) on Wednesdays, 9.30am till 4.30pm, outside the Educafe Community Café at the Globe
(pop up site – offers assisted testing and home kits) - The Community Collect mobile van service to rural parts of the district offers assisted testing as well as home test kits for collection. Please check the mobile route schedule for the route stops closest to your home or place of work.
Or you can collect a testing kit from West Berkshire Council’s mobile community collection service throughout local villages.
The test takes five minutes and within 30 minutes you receive the results delivered directly to your phone or email. You can also access them by calling 119.
You are asked to use the hand sanitisation stations provided when you arrive at and leave the testing site. You must wear an appropriate face covering inside the testing site. If you do not have one, you will be given one to wear. One-way entry and exit systems are in operation. You will be invited into the building a few minutes before your appointment time.
Testing at home
Home tests are for those 11 years and above. If you are 16 years and above you can collect home testing kits from any of the four test sites above, from our mobile community collect vehicle (see route schedule here – note that WBC’s mobile community collect service is operating a new timetable from Monday 24 May)
Please visit the West Berkshire Council lateral flow testing webpage or the gov.uk website for further information.
Residents are welcome to visit any of our four testing sites (without an appointment) in order how to learn to lateral flow tests properly. Alternatively see this NHS instructional video for doing your home test. Your test kit will display the results in 30 minutes.
If you test positive…
- The national contact tracing team will be in touch. They will help identify with whom you have recently been in contact, as they may also be at risk of infection.
- The council may follow up positive cases to establish close contact situations should the national team not be able to reach you.
- If you or anyone in your household tests positive, everyone in the household must follow the government guidelines.
Information from other councils
Please click on the appropriate link for lateral flow test information from other local councils:
