Islington’s second Covid-19 testing site is open in Finsbury Leisure Centre – after calls from Islington Council to make it easier for local people to get tests.
The local walk-through testing centre in Norman Street, EC1V 3PU, opened today (Thursday 26 November) and will be open from 8am-8pm, seven days a week, for the next six months.
It is the second testing site in Islington, and more than doubles testing capacity in Islington. A walk-through testing centre is also operating in the Sobell Leisure Centre car park.
All appointments for testing must be booked through the national coronavirus website – www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test – or by dialling 119. The site cannot accept people who come for tests without booking.
The site will operate to clinically approved national standards, with very thorough safety and infection control procedures. It is operated by the national testing programme, with security on site 24 hours a day. Islington Council will liaise closely with the site operators.
Anyone with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – must get a test at a testing site.
Cllr Sue Lukes, Islington Council’s executive member for community safety, said: “Our top priority throughout the pandemic is keeping our residents safe and supported. We’ve said many times it’s vital that people in Islington have easier access to tests, to stop the spread of the virus and save lives.
“The new site adds a lot more testing capacity for Islington and should make it a lot simpler for many of our residents to get tests. We will carefully monitor how the site is working, and continue to review if residents are able to get the tests they need. It’s essential for people to get tests when they need it, and for testing to be easily available. ”
Finsbury Leisure Centre is currently closed because of national lockdown rules. The sports hall, studios and squash courts will remain closed while the testing centre is in operation. The outdoor pitches are set to reopen for public booking on 2 December, when Covid-19 restrictions in England change.
You can read more about coronavirus on the NHS website and more about council support and services during coronavirus.
