Lincolnshire coronavirus testing sites being scaled back in change of plans

The testing sites at the Lincolnshire Showground, and in Boston and Skegness, have started opening for half a day in order for parents and others to collect home-testing kits during a second session in the afternoon following a deep clean.

Health bosses are now also looking at how these changes will impact on rapid testing sites.

Under government plans for the return to school, young people have to take tests twice a week, with parents and carers also being asked to do the same.

Professor Derek Ward said: “We don’t want them go into the same place that people who have got symptoms are getting their normal PCR tests at the same time.

“So the government changed our fixed sites that we’ve got – the two regional sites one in Lincoln, one in Boston, and another one in Skegness.

“If you think you’ve got a symptom, you book yourself in a test you’ll be going in the morning, then at lunchtime they close and do a deep clean

“In the afternoon they open up again, but only to allow people who haven’t got any symptoms to go and pick up their lateral flow testing kits.”

Home testing kits will include two packs per person and will aim to last for seven weeks.

Professor Ward said bosses were in talks about where more sites could go in the next couple of weeks to increase coverage across the county.

“Our plan is to make sure that people will be within around five miles of somewhere that they can go and pick up a kit,” he said.

Parents can find out more information about the government’s testing plans here.