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Forres residents urged to take Covid-19 tests after "higher than normal" Covid-19 levels found in waste water


By Jonathan Clark

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NHS Grampian is urging Forres residents to get tested for Covid-19 after higher than normal levels of the virus were shown in the town's waste water.

Waste water testing is routine, with recent tests showing an increased level of Covid-19 in the water.

This has yet to translate into increased case numbers in Forres – but residents are being encouraged to access testing and play their part in breaking the chains of transmission.

Shantini Paranjothy, consultant in public health for NHS Grampian, said: “We carry out waste-water testing because it can give us an early warning sign and help us stop Covid-19 in its tracks.

"This is exactly what we have in Forres and I am calling on people in the town to take action.

“We know that one in three people with Covid-19 do not have any symptoms and, as a result, could be putting friends, family, or work colleagues at risk without even realising.

"Taking a Lateral Flow Device test, ideally twice a week, helps us spot these cases quickly and offer all the necessary support to self-isolate."

The mobile testing unit team behind the Co-op at Leys Road.
The mobile testing unit team behind the Co-op at Leys Road.

Testing is available in Forres every Tuesday and Friday, between 9.45-11.45am, at the Leys Road car park. Booking is not required, and results are generally available within 30 minutes.

Outwith these times, a home testing kit can be ordered at www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow.



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