Don’t forget – you can get a Coronavirus test on a weekend as well as a weekday

Published Thursday, 15th October 2020

Residents of Hartlepool are being reminded that they can get a Coronavirus test in Hartlepool during the weekend as well as during the week.

Over the immediate coming days, tests will be available at the Department of Health and Social Care’s mobile drive-through testing unit at the Hartlepool Waterfront site from Friday 16th up to and including Tuesday 20th October and from Friday 23rd October up to and including Sunday 25th October.

There is also a walk-through testing facility every day in the Grayfields car park off Jesmond Gardens.

Please remember, however, that you must book a test – you can’t just turn up at either location.

If you have Coronavirus symptoms, book a test straight away.

The main symptoms of the virus are:

  • a high temperature
  • a new, continuous cough
  • a loss of or change to your sense of smell or taste

You should only get a test if you have one or more of these symptoms, otherwise you could be taking a test away from someone who really needs it. You must also not book tests in advance on the off chance that you might need them in future.

You can book a test by going online at www.gov.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119 - do not use 111.

The Government’s test booking system releases testing appointment slots throughout the day, so if you are not able to immediately obtain a local testing appointment, please try again later in the day. Home testing kits can also be ordered, for people who can’t get to a testing site. 

If someone in your household starts to have symptoms, that person must get tested and the rest of the household should self-isolate with them while they wait for the results. 

If you or other members of the household don’t have symptoms, you should not get a test – only people with symptoms should get tested. The vast majority of people who are tested in person get their results the very next day.

If you are self-isolating or in quarantine, a negative test result does not mean you can end isolation early. The virus can take time to develop and so a test early on does not prove that you won’t go on to develop the virus. That means you could still be at risk of spreading the disease to other people.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Acting Director of Public Health, said: “If you have one or more of the Coronavirus symptoms, don’t delay – please book a test right away, which is why it’s important to remember that you can get a test in Hartlepool over the weekend, as well as during the week.

“Thank you to everyone who has booked a test so far – you’ve played a vital part in helping to fight the Coronavirus and protect our most vulnerable members of the community, like grandma and grandad.”