Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has visited one of Barnet Council's rapid Covid testing facilities that allows key workers without symptoms to find out if they have the virus.
Located at Hendon Leisure Centre, Theresa was shown round by Dr Elliott Roy-Highley, Public Health Registrar and Barnet public health team lead on rapid testing.
Health and care staff, emergency services workers, teachers, supermarket workers, delivery drivers and essential voluntary workers can all book two tests a week, three to five days apart at the centre.
“The news headlines are focused on the vaccine delivery at the moment but the capacity to rapid test workers in key sectors is vitally important in the fight against this virus,” said Theresa.
“I was impressed by how quick and simple this operation is and it means these important staff, who are keeping services and the economy going, can have confidence they can go to work and not transmit the virus to colleagues or the public.
“We need this tool in the battle against Covid, especially as it will be months before the majority of the population will have received their jabs and we can look forward to much lower levels of transmission.
"I would like to thank Barnet Council and everyone involved for all they are doing to ensure this rapid testing facility is working well."
The Barnet MP's visit concluded with a test herself and happily the result was negative.
The Government continues to test enormous numbers of people for Covid every day. On 4th February, the number of tests conducted was 783,851. In March last year it was 2000 a day. Total tests undertaken since the start of the outbreak now stands at 73,277,874, which is more than the population of the UK.
Information about how to book a test and who is eligible is available at this link: