Drive-through coronavirus testing in Hertfordshire

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Further to our recent news about coronavirus testing, here are the updated arrangements for accessing drive-through COVID-19 testing in Hertfordshire on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

The pop-up sites in Hertford (Saturdays), Watford (Sundays) and Stevenage (Mondays) have been commissioned by local NHS organisations and are supported by the military. Testing at each site will open at 10am and run until 4pm.

The tests are only effective if people are swabbed in the first three days of having suspected coronavirus symptoms. They cannot detect whether somebody has had coronavirus in the past. Symptoms are a fever and/or a cough.

Testing for coronavirus helps people who test negative to return to work more promptly and helps scientists to understand how the virus is spreading.

Tests are available for:

  • people who have to go out to work because they can’t work from home and are in the first three days of having coronavirus symptoms
  • people aged 65 and older who are in the first three days of having suspected coronavirus symptoms
  • NHS staff, social care staff and essential workers (as defined by the government at www.gov.uk/coronavirus) who are in the first three days of having coronavirus symptoms
  • NHS staff, social care staff and essential workers who are self-isolating for 14 days because a household member has suspected coronavirus symptoms
  • anyone aged over five years old in the first three days of having suspected coronavirus symptoms who lives with anyone listed above.

To book a test, go online to www.gov.uk/coronavirus and enter your details. You will be sent a booking code. The booking system will only show you details of test locations which are available in the following 24hrs.

This means that if you want to be tested on Sunday in Watford, you will need to apply on Saturday. If you want to be tested on Monday in Stevenage, you will need to apply on Sunday. A maximum of 250 tests can be conducted at each location.

Anyone who attends a test site should bring some sort of ID with them – either to confirm that they are aged over 65 or a work ID badge or documents. A mobile phone will also be useful.

Hertfordshire test sites are as follows:

  • on Saturdays between 10am and 4pm in Hertford at County Hall, Pegs Lane, SG13 8DQ
  • on Sundays between 10am-4pm in Watford at the Central Watford leisure centre, WD17 3HA
  • on Mondays at 10am-4pm in Stevenage on Caxton Way, SG1 2DF (car park entrance near the household waste recycling centre).

These locations will appear on the website during the evening of Friday 1 May. When you book online, other locations will also be available to choose.