Key workers in South Kesteven can get lateral flow tests from Tuesday if they don't have symptoms of coronavirus

Free lateral flow testing for key workers who do not have Covid-19 symptoms will be available at Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham, from Tuesday (April 6).

The aim of asymptomatic testing is to help identify and isolate individuals who have Covid-19 but do not have symptoms and may inadvertently be spreading the virus. The test takes only a few minutes and the results are usually sent by email or text within an hour.

Those eligible will include anyone who cannot work from home such as, for example, those employed in retail or who are based on factory sites. It comes as the higher than average infection rate in the district was blamed on people who can't work from home spreading the virus.

The opening hours are Mondays 8.30am-2.30pm; Tuesdays midday- 6pm; Wednesdays 8.30am-2.30pm; Thursdays midday-6pm. No appointment is necessary.

Anyone who has symptoms should not go to the site, but book a Covid-19 test by calling 119 or visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

From Tuesday, home testing kits will also be available for collection from the Community Centre by parents and carers of school-age children, as well as the walk-through testing station at Queen Elizabeth Park, Grantham.

Both sites are covid-secure – face masks must be worn and social distancing guidance adhered to, while one-way systems and hand sanitiser dispensers are in place.