A second regional testing centre for COVID-19 has opened in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Based at Liverpool John Lennon Airport the centre began testing residents, with pre-arranged appointments, on Wednesday, June 17.

The drive-through coronavirus testing facility is located in the long stay car park at the airport and is a key part of the Cheshire and Merseyside push to meet the need for further increased testing. It is open seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm.

Anyone experiencing a new, continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss of or change in their normal sense of smell or taste, should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119 to find out if they currently have coronavirus.  

NHS staff and those key workers within health and social care settings can also access the site without an appointment. To receive a test without an appointment staff will need to bring an employee photo ID badge, if they don’t have an employee photo ID, they can bring another form of photo ID e.g. passport or driving license and a recent payslip

The site sits alongside the existing network of testing sites being set up around the UK and is the second in the Cheshire and Merseyside region, alongside Haydock Park in Newton-le-Willows.

To increase testing for everyone with symptoms, the Cheshire and Merseyside Health Care Partnership has worked with Government to set up the two regional test centres, four satellite and three mobile testing units.

Anyone testing positive for the virus will also be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will help people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission.

Terry Whalley, director of Cheshire & Merseyside Coronavirus Testing said: “The opening of this drive-through coronavirus testing facility represents another significant step forward in our Cheshire & Merseyside strategy, and creates the opportunity for more people who need a test to get a test.

“Our ability to offer more routes to access testing will help us protect lives and protect livelihoods by ensuring we are able to do more testing every day.”

Chief executive of Sefton Council, and chair of the Merseyside TTC Cell, Dwayne Johnson, added: “The pace and quality of the roll out COVID-19 testing across Cheshire and Merseyside has been hugely impressive. We have seen so many organisations working together to ensure this happens in a safe and timely way.

“Whether it is local authorities, different parts of the NHS or the Ministry of Defence; private and public sector colleagues have all come together to ensure that we are delivering mobile, satellite and regional testing sites; - like this new facility at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

“We are working together across Cheshire and Merseyside to ensure that testing is easily available to anyone who needs it. Sites like this allow people who develop symptoms to quickly get a test and find out whether they need to take the appropriate action."

The testing centre is operated in partnership with Levy and will offer assisted and self-administered tests. Those tested will receive their results within a few days.