Calls for new walk-through covid testing site in south of Hartlepool amid fears virus spreading on way to testing centres

Hartlepool currently has walk-through Covid-19 testing centres at the Headland Town Square and at Grayfields car park in Jesmond Gardens.

However with Covid-19 rates continuing to rise in the town, calls have been made by councillors for a testing facility to be stationed in the south of Hartlepool.

RELATED: Covid cases continue to soar in Hartlepool as impact of Christmas and New Year mixing hits

Speaking at the council audit and governance committee meeting, Cllr Marjorie James called for a centre in the area to encourage people to get tested and help tackle rising Covid-19 rates.

She said: “I’m concerned that the test centres that we have, there aren’t any that would deal with things like Manor House ward, or Rossmere, there just aren’t any.

“So we’re actually asking people who believe they may be ill to either get on a bus, because a lot of them do not have cars, or to walk into town, or to get somebody to bring them in, which is just not possible.

“The problem is that unless we actually do something about getting a test centre at the south end of the town, preferably in the hub [community hub south] or something like that, then those individuals are not going to attend for testing.

“Which means they will then convince themselves they are not ill, they don’t actually have Covid, and they will continue to do what they normally do, which just spreads it even more.”

She also noted it comes as many of the areas seeing higher rates of Covid-19 are those which experience higher levels of deprivation.

Cllr Brenda Harrison supported the calls from Cllr James for a testing site in the south of Hartlepool.

She said: “I think that the south of the town are completely bereft of that, and we’re doing very well in the north of the town, so it would be good if that could be spread out.”

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool’s director of public health, agreed with the idea, but noted nationally organisers had previously put a stop to opening new testing sites.

He added he would look to see if it would be possible to bring another testing centre into Hartlepool and look at ways to support residents in getting tests.

He said: “It’s something I’ll take back and see whether there is an option to look at whether they have restarted that programme again with the local test sites.

“We don’t have the capacity, or nationally the Government won’t give us the capacity, to put testing centres everywhere we would like to but it’s a particularly valid point, and something I am a bit concerned about in terms of where we are actually being able to access testing.

“Given that the rise does seem to be in those areas, if we can’t get a test site, it’s looking at how we can support people to access testing in an easier way.”

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.