Council secures more testing kits for Birmingham COVID hotspots

Birmingham City Council has secured almost 30,000 additional lateral flow testing kits following a successful door-to-door operation in COVID hotspots across the city.

Three quarters of the 80,000 rapid testing kits supplied by the Department of Health and Social Care when Birmingham became an area of enhanced support on 14 June have now been distributed in select target wards.

These high-priority areas include Alum Rock, Lozells, Bordesley & Highgate, Heartlands, Bordesley Green, Sparkhill, Birchfield, Small Heath, Ward End, Newtown, Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, Aston, Nechells, Holyhead and Balsall Heath West.

Doorstep teams with advice and information in a variety of community languages have been working around the clock to encourage testing and vaccination in the target areas.

According to the council, 50,592 addresses had been visited by Tuesday 6 July, with 64,045 boxes of seven test kits handed out, and public health officials say the uptake of testing has been far more positive than previous door-to-door operations.

Birmingham City Council Leader Cllr Ian Ward said: “Combined with the ongoing vaccination programme, testing continues to be an important part of our efforts to keep people safe and I want to thank everyone in the 15 focus wards who have taken up the offer of these free kits. They really are making a difference.

“We’re working with communities in the 15 target wards, answering questions and helping people understand the ongoing importance of testing as we move onto the next stages of the pandemic.

“The teams will be out again in Bordesley & Highgate, Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, Balsall Heath West, Sparkhill and Heartlands over the coming days and I would urge anyone who is offered the kits to take up the offer to help keep their loved ones and neighbours safe.”

80,000 testing kits were originally supplied to Birmingham and the additional 28,000 kits will allow public health officials to complete the door-to-door operation over the coming days.