Extra testing to monitor and suppress spread of COVID-19 variant
Additional testing is being made available within the Frankley Great Park ward and a specific area in south Northfield in Birmingham, where a case of the COVID-19 variant first identified in South Africa has been found.
The council is working closely with Public Health England and the national NHS Track and Trace team to support measures to curb any potential spread of this variant; this will include significantly increasing the testing offer in a targeted way.
Residents over the age of 18, who are living or working in Frankley Great Park ward and the part of south Northfield between Frankley and the A38, south of Tessall Lane, since 1 January 2021 are strongly encouraged to take a COVID-19 test this week, even if they are not showing symptoms.
Check whether you should be tested for new variants of COVID-19
What kind of test should I get?
For people with no coronavirus symptoms
- Drive through testing is now available at the St. Modwen testing site without an appointment - the testing site is located on Bristol Road South, opposite Longbridge Lane / Bournville College. The site is open 8am to 4pm every day.
- Further testing is now available at Empire cinema car park, Great Park, Rubery, B45 9JL - at the west car park, which is to the right of the building’s main entrance. Opening hours are currently 8am to 4pm and booking is not required.
- Home testing kits are now available for collection at Hollymoor Centre, 8 Manor Park Grove, Birmingham. The site is behind the church and to the right of the nursery. You must drop the test back within 24 hours for collection. Collections are available from 8am to 6pm, and the site is open for returns from 8am to 5pm every day.
- We will shortly be starting door-to-door testing within parts of the targeted testing area to make it easier for people to be tested without leaving home. Test kits will be dropped off and collected later the same day. The team will all have ID badges and can be verified if you have concerns.
- We are working with local businesses to make testing available for their staff in workplaces and employers are being written to with details of this this week.
- It is important people test through these designated sites because the samples are sent back to a specific laboratory for analysis and individuals should get their results within 48 hours.
- If you collect a test kit to do at home and return it through the drop system, you then need to register this online. If during the online registration you are asked for a site code please enter 'other'.
For people with coronavirus symptoms
If you have coronavirus symptoms you should get a free NHS test to check if you have coronavirus.
If a person tests positive, has any symptoms, or are contact traced following close contact with someone who tests positive, they should self-isolate immediately.
There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is more serious than others, or that the regulated vaccine would not protect against it.
Frequently asked questions
I am NOT in a targeted testing area, what should I do?
If you are not in the targeted testing area, you do not need a specific test but you must please continue to follow national lockdown rules and Hands, Face, Space safety precautions at all times.
If you develop any COVID-19 symptoms, (a high temperature, continuous cough, loss or change to smell or taste) no matter how mild, you must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS, via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119.
I am in a targeted testing area, can I book a test through the NHS?
No. If you live or work in a targeted testing area and you have no COVID-19 symptoms, please see the guidance above for information about how to arrange a symptom-free variant test.
The NHS test booking system is for people with symptoms or those who have been directed by the NHS to book a test as they have been identified as a close contact of a positive case.
These tests are sent to a different lab.
The test kits have to be returned through a specific national system, so please do not use the postal testing service unless you have symptoms.
I don't live in a targeted testing area, but I work there or am in a support bubble with residents of the area ― should I be tested too?
Yes. Please attend one of the mobile testing centres or the drive through site.
These are the only testing sites that you should attend, as they test specifically for the South African variant, as well as the original COVID-19 virus.
I recently lived or worked in the targeted testing area, but I don't anymore. What should I do?
If you lived or worked in the area after 1 January 2021, you should get tested, even if you don't live or work there anymore.
Please attend one of the mobile testing centres or the drive through.
These are the only testing sites that you should attend, as they test specifically for the South African variant, as well as the original COVID-19 virus.
Members of my support bubble recently lived or worked in the targeted testing area, but don't anymore. What should I do?
If members of your support bubble lived or worked in the targeted testing area after 1 January 2021 all members of both households (aged 18 and over) should get tested, even if they don't live or work there anymore.
Are there any changes to existing lockdown restrictions?
No. Whether you live or work in a targeted testing area or not, you must continue to follow existing lockdown restrictions.
You are required to remain at home unless for permitted, essential reasons.
If you are able to work from home, please do.
I live or work in a nearby postcode, can I get tested?
No. We are focusing symptom-free variant testing in specific areas, as shown in the map above.
However, anyone in Birmingham who has any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, continuous cough, loss or change to smell or taste) of course can get a test.
This can be booked through the NHS COVID-19 App, online or by calling 119.
I have COVID-19 symptoms, what should I do?
No matter where you live, whether you live or work in a targeted testing area or not, if you have COVID-19 symptoms (a high temperature, continuous cough, loss or change to smell or taste), no matter how mild,you must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119.
You should not attempt to take a symptom-free test.
If you are in a targeted testing area and you& have COVID-19 symptoms please do not attend the variant testing sites.
You must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119.
You should not attempt to take a symptom-free test.
Will standard PCR tests identify this variant?
Yes. This is the test where the sample gets sent to a lab for processing.
A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests check for the genetic material of the virus in the sample.
Find out more on the types and uses of COVID-19 testing.
How are we identifying additional cases?
For anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, Public Health England will undertake contact tracing and testing of close contacts of any confirmed cases.
Find out more on NHS Test and Trace and how it works
How often do I need to get tested?
We are asking residents who live in the targeted testing area to take one test between now and 18 February 2021.
Which type of tests will you be using for this?
Initially, we will be asking individuals to take PCR tests. This is the test where the sample gets sent to a lab for processing.
A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test checks for the genetic material of the virus in the sample.
Find out more on the types and uses of coronavirus (COVID-19) testing.
Who can get tested?
We will aim to test as many people as possible within the targeted testing area who are over the age of 18.
Are you testing care homes?
There is no change to the usual testing arrangements for care homes in the affected area.
What should I do if I'm not able to get to a testing site?
Please be patient, the council will be starting distribution and collection of testing kits for people who have been unable to access sites from the middle of next week.
Testing will be being done up to the 18 February, so please be patient and information will be updated on the website when this is ready to go live.
What happens after my test?
After your symptom-free COVID variant test, you do not need to self-isolate while you await the results but you must continue to follow national lockdown restrictions as before.
You must stay home unless you need to go out for essential reasons such as for work if you cannot work from home, essential shopping or caring for others.
Symptom-free COVID variant tests conducted in testing centres will be sent to a separate lab from those tests conducted by the NHS for people with symptoms or the routine symptom-free critical worker tests.
If you have used a home testing kit, these will be collected by public health or licensed officers and sent to the correct laboratory.
You will be given more information about kit collections when your home testing kit is delivered. Please do not post your kit back, as it may not be returned to the laboratory that is testing and sequencing for the South African variant specifically.
If your test comes back positive for COVID-19, you will be notified and required to self-isolate for 10 days. If your test comes back positive for the South African variant of COVID-19 rather than the original COVID-19 virus, you will be also be contacted by NHS Test and Trace who will conduct more detailed contact tracing.
This is so Public Health England can better understand how the variant may have come into the community and whether additional areas in Walsall will need to be targeted for variant testing.
How long until my test comes back?
Test results showing whether you are positive or negative for COVID-19 will take up to 48 hours to be returned.
Genomic sequencing (analysing the test sample for the South African variant) will be carried out after the initial test for positive or negative, and will take a longer.
Can I go to work?
If you are a critical worker living in a targeted testing area and you cannot work from home, you can continue to go to work (even if this is outside the targeted testing area) until you have had your symptom-free variant test.
You can still go to work after you have been tested for the COVID-19 variant, as long as you continue to have no COVID-19 symptoms, or unless your test result comes back positive.
If your test result comes back positive, you must self-isolate for 10 days.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms after you have been tested for the variant, you must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119..
If you do not live in a targeted testing area but you work in the targeted testing area, or your work requires you to visit a targeted testing area, you can continue to go to work in line with the above guidance.
You should also get tested too.
Advice for education settings
Education and early year settings within the targeted testing areas will be required to register their details so that we know the number of staff employed at that settings.
Drop and collect test kits will be delivered to your premises for your staff as a one-off test.
Register using our online form
Drop and collect test kits will be delivered to you for all school staff as a one-off test.
Any school staff who are working from home and have not been in the area do not require testing.
Please continue to test using your usual lateral flow testing processes (your symptom-free test provided by the Department for Education) and staff do not need to isolate while awaiting results as long as they do not have symptoms.
At the moment we are not testing children and young people in education settings, however this may change if circumstances develop.
Any staff that develop COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS, via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119.
COVID-19 symptoms:
- a high temperature
- continuous cough
- loss or change to smell or taste
They should not attempt to take a symptom-free test.
Advice for businesses
All businesses within the targeted testing areas will be required to register their details so that we know the number of staff employed at that business.
Drop and collect test kits will be delivered to your premises for your staff as a one-off test.
Register using our online form
Any employees who are working from home and have not been in the area do not require testing.
Staff do not need to isolate while awaiting test results as long as they do not have symptoms.
Any staff that develop COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, must self-isolate and book a standard COVID-19 test through the NHS, via the NHS COVID-19 App online or by calling 119.
COVID-19 symptoms:
- a high temperature
- continuous cough
- loss or change to smell or taste
Staff should not attempt to take a symptom-free test.
