Posted on Tuesday 4th May 2021
Eight Tamworth residents who unknowingly had Covid-19 and risked spreading it to the wider community were identified as part of a recent testing pilot.
The residents and all their close contacts were contacted by the test and trace team so they could immediately self-isolate and help stop the spread of infection.
Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council’s Director for Health and Care, said:
“In order to make the easing of lockdown restrictions work, we need to keep testing people to help prevent a third wave.
“By taking part in this pilot, residents have helped us learn more about how the virus may be spreading, and also identified more people unknowingly had the virus.
“Although eight people doesn’t sound a huge amount, when you think about their family, friends and other people they would have been in close contact with, then that number and the associated risk grows quite rapidly.”
The NHS Test and Trace pilot was run in partnership with Staffordshire County Council and Tamworth Borough Council and targeted households in the Glascote and Stonydelph areas. More than 1,800 people took part in the pilot.
The county council also matched every kit returned to the Sacred Heart Collection point with £1 up to a maximum of £500 - with proceeds going to the Heart of Tamworth Community Food Shop. Almost 500 were collected there over the four days.
Andrew Barratt, Chief Executive of Tamworth Borough Council, said :
“As we move towards the next phase of lockdown restrictions being lifted further we want to do everything can to ensure we continue to keep cases low across the borough.
“Testing pilots are one of the ways to help us do just that and I would like to thank everyone who took part in this trial.”
Everyone is being encourage to get tested twice a week and can find more about the options at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/testing