A new testing centre will open in East Sussex today, increasing the options for residents seeking to check if they have Covid-19.
The drive-through site at Plumpton racecourse will be operated by Sodexo and has been commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). As a regional testing centre, it will have the capacity to provide an estimated 700 tests a day and will strengthen the national Test and Trace scheme.
Tests can also be carried out at further sites at Wainwright Road, Bexhill and at Gatwick Airport. In addition, a mobile testing unit regularly visits East Sussex and will be at Hastings Academy in Rye Road on Saturday and Sunday (Oct 3 and 4).
All the testing facilities collect swab samples which are secured and sent to laboratories for analysis and results.
Anyone seeking a test must book an appointment before arriving at any of the testing sites. Only people with symptoms of the virus should book a test.
The site at Plumpton racecourse will operate from 08:00 to 20:00 each day. It has been commissioned to provide more access to testing and to help replace the regional site that formerly operated at the Amex stadium in Falmer.
Book a test at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or call 119
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We're promoting the campaign to recruit volunteers to support the NHS and the care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volunteers are needed more than ever to support the local community and protect the NHS during the pandemic and the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme is looking for new recruits.
For more information visit: NHS Volunteer Responders
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As you will be aware, cases of Covid-19 are rising across the UK, and one thing made clear is that we all need to do our bit to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
At the moment, East Sussex still has low rates of the virus compared to some other parts of England. But, the numbers of cases are rising.
There is a plan for how a local outbreak would be handled and Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health is working closely with his team to continually monitor the local situation. But we're also urging residents to keep doing their bit to control the virus and keep our infection rates low.
Read our Your East Sussex story: Do your bit to prevent the spread of COVID-19
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East Sussex continues to see a comparatively low number of cases of Covid-19. The latest figures show a cumulative rate of 354.6 cases per 100,000 of population - close to half the rate for England which is 699.9.
However, we have a four-stage escalation framework for Covid-19 and our Director of Public Health, Darrell Gale, after consulting local partners, has agreed that we should move from the lowest level (monitor and contain) to the stage up (raised local alertness). This reflects the rising proportion of cases, although we remain well below the national rate.
Table: Total number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in East Sussex
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Area
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No. of cases
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Rate per 100,000 population
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|
|
|
|
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Eastbourne
|
534 (+5 since 28 Sept)
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514.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hastings
|
213 (+10 since 28 Sept)
|
229.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lewes
|
432 (+8 since 28 Sept)
|
418.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rother
|
238 (+5 since 28 Sept)
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247.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wealden
|
559 (+6 since 28 Sept)
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346.2
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
East Sussex
|
1,976 (+34 since 28 Sept)
|
354.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
England
|
393,931 (+16,896 since 28 Sept)
|
699.9
|
|
|
|
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Source: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk 1 October, 2020
You can also see fuller context for East Sussex and commentary from the Director of Public Health in the weekly bulletin published each Friday.
A reminder that there is a web page on the East Sussex Council Council website that brings together a range of information and advice regarding the coronavirus.
Visit: Coronavirus - help and support
This is a regular email to keep you in touch with how East Sussex is responding to coronavirus. If you do not wish to receive it, you can easily unsubscribe using the link below. If there are other people who would like to receive it they can sign up with their email address here
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