‘Surge testing’ to be rolled out in parts of country including North West after South African Covid variant found

Household coronavirus testing is set to be rolled out across parts of England.

The South African variant has been found in England after Surrey County Council announced on Monday that two people had caught the more infectious variant with ‘no links to travel or previous variant cases’. 

The government has announced a ‘surge testing’ scheme to begin in eight postcodes in England, Sky News reports. 

Those over 16 in the affected areas will be asked to take the PCR swab test and public health officials will start going door-to-door next week. 

Mostly, the affected areas are down south including Maidstone, Guildford, Ealing and Walsall. 

In the North West those in the PR9 postcode will be asked to take the test. 

The testing scheme will begin in the following areas:

• London – W7 (Ealing), N17 (Haringey) and CR4 (Croydon)
• West Midlands – WS2 (Walsall)
• East of England – EN10 (Broxbourne)
• South East – ME15 (Maidstone) and GU21 (Guildford)
• North West – PR9 (Preston/Southport)

People in the affected areas do not need to self-isolate unless they have symptoms, have tested positive or have been in close contact with someone else who has the disease. 

The Department for Health and Social Care said: “There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is more serious than others, or that the regulated vaccine would not protect against it.”

105 cases of the South African variant have been found in the UK, initially all connected to travel from South Africa, however community transmission has now being detected. 

The briefing states: “There is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness, or that the regulated vaccine would not protect against it.

“Virus variation and mutation occurs naturally. The more we suppress new variants the more we will avoid variants which cause problems for treatment or vaccination.”

Dr Alison Barnett, a regional director at Public Health England South East, said: “The UK has one of the best genomic systems in the world, which has allowed us to detect the variant originating in South Africa here in Surrey. I urge everyone offered a test to take it up to help us to monitor the virus in our communities and to help suppress and control the spread of this variant.

“The most important thing is that people continue to follow the guidance that is in place: limit your number of contacts, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, keep your distance and cover your face. If you test positive by any method, you must isolate to stop the spread of the virus.”