Gedling borough won’t be included in the first wave of Tier 3 areas in England to receive the government’s community testing.
The list of 67 local authorities that can begin enhanced testing support programmes to drive down COVID-19 transmission rates has now been published by the government.
Testing will begin on Monday.
The government hopes the testing initiative will lead to an easing of restrictions in Tier 3 areas.
It is hoped the community testing programme will be rolled out to more areas in the new year.
The lateral flow tests being distributed use similar technology to a pregnancy test and have a turnaround time of under an hour.
Liverpool was the first part of the country to trial mass testing for all in November – including those who do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am really pleased to announce the first areas embarking on enhanced community testing programmes – after the successful work in Liverpool.
“Community testing will be very important in helping the areas where levels of the virus are highest to drive down infection rates and ultimately will help areas ease tougher restrictions.”
He added that the testing rollout is “just the start” as the government is working fast to roll out community testing in more areas.
Tier 3 areas that can begin community testing:
- Amber Valley
- Ashford
- Barnsley
- Birmingham
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Blackpool
- Bolsover
- Bolton
- Bradford
- Burnley
- Bury
- Cannock Chase
- Canterbury
- Chesterfield
- Chorley
- Darlington
- Dartford
- Derbyshire Dales
- Dover
- Dudley
- East Staffordshire
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Fylde
- Gravesham
- Hyndburn
- Kirklees
- Lancaster
- Lichfield
- Maidstone
- Manchester
- Medway
- Newcastle-under-Lyme
- North East Derbyshire
- North Warwickshire
- Nuneaton and Bedworth
- Oldham
- Pendle
- Preston
- Ribble Valley
- Rochdale
- Rossendale
- Rugby
- Salford
- Sandwell
- Sevenoaks
- Solihull
- South Derbyshire
- South Ribble
- South Staffordshire
- Stafford
- Staffordshire Moorlands
- Stockport
- Stockton on Tees
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Swale
- Tameside
- Tamworth
- Thanet
- Tonbridge and Malling
- Trafford
- Tunbridge Wells
- Warwick
- West Lancashire
- Wigan
- Wolverhampton
- Wyre
