A request has been made for testing centres in central rural North Wales communities. This follows the opening of drive through centres in Llandudno and Carmarthen this week.
Staff from the NHS, police, fire and ambulance services, care homes and other critical staff will be tested by appointment at the centre in Llandudno. They will have a self-swab test without leaving their vehicles.
Commenting on the situation, Janet said:
‘Last week I pushed for more information on plans for testing centres in North Wales, and cannot emphasise enough how reassuring it is to have seen one already opened in Llandudno this week.
“The new drive-through testing centre will play an integral part in our response to COVID-19 in North Wales.
“Assurances have been given that stringent infection prevention measures are in place to protect people, staff and the wider community, but I am worried about a Wales wide theme: the centres are primarily in coastal areas.
“You can drive south for an hour before leaving Aberconwy and Conwy County, so some frontline workers will be travelling that long for a test.
“Surely, we can do better than this and look at the logistics of establishing testing centres in central rural areas.
“According to the Review of testing for Covid-19, plans were afoot for infrastructure for the whole of North Wales. I have written to the Minister for Health and Social Services to see if there is any possibility of this being made more accessible to the whole of the region, rather than just the coast”.
ENDS
Written Assembly Question to Vaughan Gething AM, Minister for Health and Social Services:
Will the Minister assess the possibility of making testing more accessible to rural communities in North Wales, such by locating testing centres in central rural areas?
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Covid-19 test centre opening this week at coach park in North Wales town
COVID-19: Calls for Clarity on Mass Testing in North Wales
North Wales drive-through centre to increase testing capacity
