Todmorden’s Mayor, Councillor Pat Taylor, was interviewed by Calendar News this morning to raise awareness of the additional Covid-19 testing facilities available in Todmorden from today.
Calderdale Council has advised that COVID-19 cases are gradually increasing in Calderdale, and across all parts of the borough an increase in cases of the Delta variant (first identified in India) have been detected. The number of Delta cases is still low but there are indications that rates are rising.
Extended testing facilities and enhanced contact tracing are starting in Todmorden as a preventative measure to identify positive cases, including their contacts, enabling and supporting individuals to isolate so that chains of transmission can be broken and new variants stopped from spreading further. Results of all positive cases will be analysed to determine whether cases are a new variant of concern.
Todmorden residents are urged to be vigilant, take extra care and follow the public health advice as they go about their day-to-day business. Everyone in Calderdale is encouraged to keep doing the five big things to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19:
- Keep our distance and limit mixing with people we don’t live with.
- Wear a face covering where necessary, unless medically exempt.
- Self-isolate if we test positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive.
- Meet others outside where possible, and if not then let the fresh air in.
- Book our vaccine when we are invited by the NHS.
As part of the local delivery of additional testing, everyone who is asked to take a test will receive information about how to access support in case they have to self-isolate. Local contact tracers are also continuing their engagement with communities to increase take-up of the COVID-19 vaccine where the number of vaccinated people is lower.
Additional testing is taking place as follows:
- In Todmorden, the Mobile Testing Unit at Todmorden Sports Centre will be open as usual for symptomatic testing on Mondays, but it will also be open for an extended period to enable asymptomatic testing from Tuesday 8 to Sunday 13 June.
- From Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 June, PCR testing kits will be distributed to students at school for them to take home so their whole household can get tested.
- From Monday 14 to Friday 18 June, a Mobile Testing Unit will be travelling around Todmorden and Walsden.