THE Royal Borough have submitted proposals to the Government to open two Covid-19 test centres to ramp up their rapid testing efforts.

David Scott, the council’s head of communities who is spearheading the testing roll-out in the borough, told councillors at a Windsor Town Forum on Wednesday (January 27) the Department for Adult and Social Care have received their application to open two lateral flow testing sites.

These types of testing centres test people who are asymptomatic, not knowing they have coronavirus, and looking to identify who are carriers of the coronavirus.

Mr Scott said these lateral flow tests won’t be a “free for all” as they will be aiming to test people who cannot work from home and in public-facing jobs.

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They will be able to visit the centres twice a week and will get their results back after 30-minutes.

Those who test positive will need to self-isolate.

The council is waiting for confirmation from the Government – but if approved, the two sites will open at Braywick Leisure Centre and Windsor Leisure Centre seven days a week.

It is expected the centres are set to open on February 8 (Monday) if given the formal go-ahead.

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David Scott said: “The intention of those centres is to identify the asymptomatic carriers. About one-third of those who are infected and Covid positive are totally asymptomatic and they are totally unaware they are infectious.

“Given the recent development of the new variants, which are much more contagious and much easier to catch and much easier to give, it is really important that we identify these asymptomatic positive people in the community.”

A third testing site will either be opened at the Ascot Racecourse or Bracknell Rugby Club – but will be run by Bracknell Forest Council.

Those who need a PCR test – which is for people who have coronavirus symptoms – can book a test at the walk-in Magnet Leisure Centre test centre at Holmanleaze in Maidenhead.

Mr Scott added Slough is slightly ahead with the lateral flow process because they went into Tier 4 before the Royal Borough did and they have found around two per cent of those taking the test returning positive.