Keep up with the rapid Covid-19 testing (lateral flow tests)
Help keep yourself and your loved ones safe from the virus by having twice-weekly lateral flow tests, three to four days apart. Lateral flow testing is a rapid test for Covid-19 and it is free of charge.
Residents get two lateral flow home testing kits instead of one
Now residents aged 16 and above can obtain two lateral flow device home testing kits via our community testing sites or the community collect mobile service, which travels through rural areas of the district. (Before Monday 7 June, we were only able to give one lateral flow device home testing kit at a time.)
If you test positive through a lateral flow test, then it is vital that you and everyone else in your household self isolates for 10 days. You must also book a free PCR Covid-19 test straight away by visiting https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or calling 119. This webpage also contains helpful information with instructions on how to isolate and what additional support is available during your isolation period.
Thatcham Memorial Hall testing site operational changes
From this weekend, Thatcham Memorial Hall testing site will no longer be open on Saturdays and will instead operate on Sundays between 8am and 1:30pm.
The site will also change its hours on Tuesdays, starting from Tuesday 15 June. Read more on our lateral flow testing page.
Covid-19 vaccine available to people aged 25 and above
Anyone aged 25 or over, or who will reach that age before 1 July 2021, can now book their Covid-19 vaccine appointment. Thank you to everyone who has already taken up this opportunity.
Easy-read Covid-19 vaccination translated leaflets now available
Public Health England (PHE) has published translated versions of easy-read leaflets for Covid-19 vaccinations. The leaflets contain information on:
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the COVID-19 vaccination
- what to expect after COVID-19 vaccination
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COVID-19 vaccination for women who might get pregnant, who are pregnant or are breastfeeding their baby.
Our most recent public Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting to discuss Covid-19 related issues in West Berkshire took place on Monday, 7 June. Agenda items included the vaccination programme, Covid-19 situation update, Public Protection Partnership and our Covid-related communications activities. You can watch a recording of the event by clicking on the link below.
Our next public Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting will be held on Monday, 21 June, at 6 pm.
Despite the unprecedented challenges of 2020-21, we’ve delivered an underspend of £4.6 million for the financial year. This means that we are able to 'build back better' as we come out of the pandemic by continuing to support businesses and residents, using the money to protect essential services over the coming year.
At our Executive meeting yesterday (10 June) it was determined that we maintained strong performance for our core business areas, good results for the majority of the measures relating to our priorities for improvement, and that we will take remedial actions where performance is below target.
A webinar was held on Wednesday 9 June by our Economic Development Team and Councillor Ross Mackinnon to discuss and answer questions around the Welcome Back Business Grants scheme.
Through this scheme, local independent businesses can bid for grants of £1,000 - £10,000 to host events or make changes that will drive footfall this summer.
Head over to our website to read more about it or watch the webinar on our YouTube channel.
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