TWO rapid Covid-19 test centres have opened in the Royal Borough to help locate asymptomatic workers in public facing jobs.

Supported by the Department of Health and Social Care and Royal Borough staff and volunteers, local mass testing began on Monday, February 8, in the sports halls at Braywick Leisure Centre and Windsor Leisure Centre.

The rapid lateral flow tests will be for those in public facing jobs who cannot work from home – such as supermarket workers and delivery drivers.

They can now get tested and will be able to get their results in about 30 minutes.

READ MORE: Coronavirus in Berkshire round up - Monday, February 8

The test centres are to help identify those who are asymptomatic – meaning those who don’t show Covid-19 symptoms – so they can stop spreading the virus by self-isolating.

Eligible workers simply need to book their test slots online at a centre and time suiting them or just drop in, although there may be a longer wait to be tested.

The testing is expected to run until March 31.

Some 7,000 tests will be carried out initially (two tests per person weekly), increasing up to 17,000 tests per week.

The test sites will be open seven days a week, 6am to 8pm weekdays and 10am to 4pm weekends. Testing is free.

READ MORE: More rapid test centres set to open in Windsor & Maidenhead

This testing is not for people working from home who’d like to be tested, or for those already showing symptoms.

Councillor Stuart Carroll, lead member for adult social care, children’s services, health and mental-health, said: “I’m thrilled that this critical testing is up and running. As one in three people with Covid-19 don’t show symptoms – so are unaware they have it – the aim of community testing is to find these individuals so they can self-isolate and stop them unknowingly spreading it, thus breaking the transmission chain.

“We hope as many public facing workers as possible take up this testing. We appreciate all their hard work so it’s doubly important that we support them with this programme.”

A full list of eligible workers is on the COVID-19 section of the Royal Borough website.