Thank you to everyone in N3 who has come forward to get tested in the past week.
COVID-19
Door-to-door testing in N3 has now been completed. The Mobile Testing Unit in the car park in Finchley Central Station has also closed.
All positive COVID-19 tests from our targeted testing in N3 will be sent for genomic sequencing. This will help us to understand the spread of COVID-19 variants locally.
Update on surge testing in Barnet N10 and N11
Surge testing was carried out in the N10 and N11 area of the borough from 19 – 26 March, following detection in February of a case of the variant first identified in Brazil (VOC-21JAN-02), traced back to travel from Brazil. As part of the test area was in the borough of Haringey, we worked in partnership with Haringey Council in coordinating the programme locally on behalf of NHS Test & Trace.
Overall, we collected 2087 test kits from the test area which were sent to a laboratory for genetic sequencing.
We are happy to report that, only a very small number of cases linked to household transmission were found. Therefore, there is no evidence as yet of any wider community spread in the area.
We would like to thank all the residents who got tested as part of this enhanced testing operation. Your cooperation and vigilance are key to keeping infection rates low in Barnet, especially as we move out of lockdown. Please continue to follow the Public Health guidance: Wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, practice social distancing with people from outside your own household and keep indoor areas well ventilated.
You should also ensure that you get tested regularly, using rapid testing, as one in three people with COVID do not have any symptoms but can still pass on the virus to others who may become seriously ill. Full details on how to access rapid testing here.
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus – a fever, a persistent cough or a changed sense of taste or smell – you need to book a PCR test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.