Enhanced Covid-19 testing area – Whalley Range update

By Rick Bowlby Feb 9, 20210

As many of you may know, the Council, working with Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace, today began an enhanced community testing programme in an area of south Manchester which includes part of Whalley Range ward. This follows the detection of a small number of cases of Covid-19 mutation E484K, which is related to the so-called ’Kent variant’. There are full details on the Council website here, and you can also click on the map for a more detailed view to see if you live in the area affected.

Whalley Range Labour Councillor Angeliki Stogia says “I live in the designated area so I’ll be getting a test in the next couple of days. And if you live in Whalley Range ward east of Princess Parkway, east of Withington Road and north of Yarburgh Street, or on Yarburgh Street itself, then please take a test as soon as you can. If you’re not sure if you’re included in the scheme, just check the map.”

If you test positive, you and all members of your household will need to self-isolate – but support is available, see the Council website. Angeliki adds ”Even if you live within the boundary of the test programme, please don’t be concerned about this development. It’s normal for viruses to adapt and mutate and there’s no reason to assume that this variant is any more dangerous, or resistant to vaccination, than normal. But the NHS needs to keep on eye on all new variants, monitor them and check how they are spreading.”