South Africa variant: How door-to-door testing works and which areas will be tested

1 February 2021, 16:24 | Updated: 2 February 2021, 13:04

Volunteer shows LBC how Covid home kit works

By Zoe Adams

London, Kent and Hertfordshire are just some of the areas in England being offered mass testing following the South African Covid strain discovery - but how does the door to door testing work?

Urgent coronavirus testing will be taking place throughout parts of England after the discovery of more cases of the South African Covid variant.

Over 16s across areas including London, Kent and Southport will be taking part in door to door testing, even if no symptoms are showing, in a bid to stop the spread of the virus any further.

The mass testing comes after two South African Covid cases have been discovered in Surrey despite no link to travel or previous cases of the strain.

Will the Covid vaccine still work against the new South African variant?

So where is door to door mass Covid testing being introduced? What is door to door testing? Here’s what you need to know:

Door to door testing will be carried out by local health teams to detect new Covid variants
Door to door testing will be carried out by local health teams to detect new Covid variants. Picture: PA

Where is door to door Covid testing happening?

At the moment, urgent Covid tests are being carried out in eight areas of England after the South African variant reaches 105 cases in total.

These will be taking place in:

W7, N17 and CR4 in London

WS2 in Walsall

ME15 in Maidstone, Kent

PR9 in Southport

EN10 in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

GU21 in Woking

Some cases of the South African variant appear to be community based hence the reason for local testing.

Grant Shapps: Concerns over South Africa variant led to new travel restrictions

How does door to door testing work?

Door to door testing has been happening since the end of 2020 in parts of England that’s required mass testing.

Local health teams and Covid volunteers will be carrying out door to door screenings with mobile testing units also being introduced.

Everyone will be urged to take a test, even if they are showing no symptoms of coronavirus.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

billy nighy

Billy Nighy 'stole complete works of Shakespeare from library' to prepare for drama school audition

v

Winner in Conservative leadership contest to be announced this morning

Palma is on lockdown amid warnings of heavy rain

Majorca on lockdown as tourist hotspot faces flooding horror after storm kills more than 200

UK GP visiting senior woman at home

Care homes and GPs could face closure under Labour tax plans, health leaders warn

Rebekah Vardy 'threatens to reignite war with Coleen Rooney'

Rebekah Vardy launches appeal against Wagatha Christie £1.8m costs ruling

Alexandra Palace Hosts Its Annual Fireworks Display Ahead Of Bonfire Night

Bonfire night 2024 forecast: What will the weather be like for fireworks night?

Darrian Williams

Two teen boys found guilty after 16-year-old stabbed to death by masked attackers in Bristol park

Westminster Protest

'Betrayed' farmers to protest over Labour's inheritance tax raid - as Chancellor insists changes are 'fair'

The teen was left to die by the side of road.

Six teenagers arrested after 13-year-old girl left with life-threatening injuries in East Yorkshire stabbing

Israel claims to have killed a high-ranking member of Hamas

Israel 'eliminates' one of Hamas' last high-ranking officials

Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee

King Charles 'finally cuts Prince Andrew off' as he 'axes Duke's annual £1m allowance'

Claw hammer-wielding public schoolboy who attacked sleeping students and teacher handed life sentence

Pictured: Public schoolboy, 17, who attacked sleeping students and teacher with hammers he kept 'for zombie apocalypse'

Emergency and rescue personnel work at the site where a concrete outdoor roof of a train station collapsed in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad

Train station canopy collapses in Serbia, killing 8 people in horror accident, with more victims still trapped in rubble

The passengers was fined £48 despite their bag fitting.

Air passenger shames easyJet on TikTok after he was charged £48 for carry-on bag that fit perfectly into size checker

Gabriel Silvera and  Dragos Carabineanu

Thug kills father with one punch after being asked for a cigarette outside Tube station

File photo dated 26/07/24 of Ben Stokes. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, England’s Test and limited-overs captains respectively, have each signed new two-year central contracts. Issue date: Thursday October 31, 2024.

Man arrested after home of England cricket captain Ben Stokes raided by masked burglars