10,000 residents in Hertfordshire district urged to get tested amid isolated cases of new COVID-19 variant

This follows confirmation that there is an isolated number of cases of the South African variant in the local area.

The main aim of this significant increase in testing capacity is to find any other cases and help to suppress this new variant from spreading any further in the local community.

From Tuesday 2 February, residents who are over 18 and live in the ‘EN10’ postcode will be provided with a leaflet through their letterboxes to explain how they can get tested. Residents can get tested in the following ways:

> extra mobile testing capacity has been set up at the Broxbourne Lido site and Paradise Wildlife Park (in EN10, Broxbourne) and;

> home testing kits will be available to pick up from Wormley Community Centre and Hoddesdon Library.

From Thursday 4 February, all households will be directly contacted at their doorstep and will be provided with a home testing kit from a public health or licensed officer (with hi-visibility uniform or valid ID).

There has been one positive case in EN10, Broxbourne.

Jim McManus, Director of Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “It is vitally important that we test as many adults as we can in this local area, whether showing symptoms or not.

"This is an important step in containing this new South African variant of COVID-19 from spreading further in our local communities.

“Although this new variant of COVID-19 is thought to be more easily transmitted, there is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness, or that the regulated vaccine would not protect against it.”

For more information about tests for residents in Broxbourne click here.