TESTING BEGINS

May 2020

Coronavirus

testing facilities were set

Up

in Barnsley town centre car parks.

Anyone older than 65 was able to access a test, as well as essential workers who were self referred or referred by their employers.

As part of the government’s drive to provide 100,000 tests a day, drive-through sites staffed by armed forces personnel were set up in the Churchfields and County Way car parks.

The government ‘significantly increased’ the UK’s testing capability, with similar sites opening around the country.

Test results were returned by text within 48 hours.

Then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “Expansion of our testing programme protects our most vulnerable and keeps people safe.

“Any worker who needs to leave their home in order to go to work, and their households, if any of them have symptoms can also get a test.

“This means construction workers to emergency plumbers, research scientists to those in manufacturing can now be tested.

“All they need to do is go on the internet and apply for a test.” There were 608 confirmed cases in Barnsley at that time.