Covid test centre to close as Dudley Leisure Centre prepares for reopening
A coronavirus testing centre at Dudley Leisure Centre will close next week – as the facility is expected to reopen fully for leisure activities next month.
The Dudley Council-run facility has been used for rapid symptom-free testing in recent months, as part of the borough's efforts to track positive cases of the virus.
The centre reopened last week offering limited access to gym sessions and lane swimming – and more facilities are expected to reopen within the centre from next month.
To allow the centre to prepare to fully reopen to centre users, the testing centre based there will close on Friday, April 30, with the last appointment at 4.30pm that day.
Karen Wright, director of public health at Dudley Council, said: "Our priority is for everyone, including secondary school age pupils, to have twice weekly rapid symptom-free tests and for it to become second nature as part of their weekly routine.
"The number of positive cases in the borough is the lowest it has been in months and through regular testing and the roll-out of the vaccine, we can work together to keep case numbers low and protect one another.
"It’s important we give the leisure centre the time it needs to prepare to welcome back visitors and I would remind people that we have ample testing capacity in other locations along with home testing kits, which give people the flexibility to do a test when it suits them best from the comfort of their own home."
The easy to use home testing kits are free of charge and can be collected from multiple venues, including participating pharmacies and other locations across the borough.
Residents who have had the vaccine should also take twice weekly rapid symptom-free tests. All residents should make sure they upload their results to help further monitor cases in the borough.
All secondary school aged children are expected to test regularly at home.
Anyone who tests positive after taking a symptom free test must self-isolate immediately and book in for a standard coronavirus test.
