Shropshire Star

Covid-19 testing at Oswestry's British Ironwork Centre

A new coronavirus testing centre at The British Ironwork Centre has welcomed a steady stream of residents.

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Rupert Knowles and Margot Keegan at Covid-19 testing centre at British Ironworks Museum

Booked testing was under way at the Oswestry visitor attraction this weekend carried out by military reservist staff normally based at RAF Cosford.

Clive Knowles, of the British Ironwork Centre where the Knife Angel is based, said: “It was a really busy with the public arriving in a steady stream.

"The staff provided a super efficient service, despite tough temperatures in all their heavy uniforms.

"I’m committed to supporting them. They are genuinely undertaking their responsibilities exceptionally seriously and with the utmost care and courtesy.

"After all, these duties are obviously something they’d never have expected to have undertaken and they are doing so even when it increases the possibility of themselves catching Covid-19.

“Working with the armed forces over the past weeks has really offered a great feeling of pride in our armed forces, we really hope to continue being of use ongoing into the future or for however long we will be needed.”

Residents are reminded that the centres are not drop-in facilities and visits must be booked via NHS 111 via telephone or online.

To increase testing for everyone with symptoms across the country, the Government said it has more than doubled the capacity of the NHS/PHE laboratory network, set up 62 regional test centres and 116 mobile testing units, and introduced home testing kits.