New coronavirus testing site to be set up at Turf Moor

The Lancashire Resilience Forum wants people to be aware that appointments are required to attend and people must not just turn up.

Organised by the NHS, working with the armed forces and the football club, the tests will be taking place from tomorrow, Friday, May 1st. It can accommodate around 250 people each day.

The tests are being arranged through the government coronavirus testing web page - which can be found here - and people should not contact the club to make a booking.

It comes as the government as updated their eligibility for testing. As well as key workers, it now includes anyone showing symptoms, who is also aged over 65 or working at a different place to their home.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health for Lancashire, said: "We know that this situation is a difficult time for people. Through testing we can understand more about the scale of this situation and help us to bring normal life back again, once it's appropriate to do so.

"Mobile testing sites helps us to prioritise certain areas, by adding additional capacity for a short time where it will have the most benefit.

"By testing key workers and their families if they're showing symptoms, we can keep vital services running at this time and protect the key workers themselves."

Doug Metcalfe, stadium and operations manager at Burnley Football Club, said: "Burnley Football Club is delighted and proud to continue our support of the NHS and armed forces by making Turf Moor available as a site for coronavirus testing.

"The club had previously made its facilities available to the NHS to cope with potential added demands of the pandemic and we remain fully committed to working with the local health authorities in any way to try and combat both the spread and the effects of Covid-19.

"The club also recognises the heroic efforts of NHS staff operating on a day-to-day basis to treat patients and try and cope with the crisis and the threat to public health.

"We hope allowing the use of our stadium will allow the NHS and the Government to increase testing locally, help to identify those most at risk from the virus and take the next steps to defeating the virus.

"We will continue to work closely with Burnley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, utilising our strong and close working relationship to support the unwavering efforts of everyone involved."

Other testing sites are already in operation at Preston College and Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The Lancashire Resilience Forum are working closely with partner organisations to create additional mobile and satellite testing sites in the county. This includes mobile testing for care home staff.

People experiencing symptoms must follow the government and NHS advice.

You can find out more or book a coronavirus test at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested