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Everyone, including children under 5, who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 can book a test. Care home staff and residents with or without symptoms can book a test.

Decorative image - COVID-19 - Mobile TestingWho can be tested for COVID-19?

Members of the public showing symptoms of COVID-19

  • Everyone, including children under 5, who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 can book a test
  • If you do not have access to the Internet call 119 to book a test.
  • Test results should be with you within 48 hours if you visit a test site, or 72 hours if you request a home test kit. If your results do not arrive within this time please call 119.
  • Members of the public who book a test at a site need to travel to the centre by car - i.e. not on foot or by public transport.

To check for Covid-19 symptoms - see NHS website - Check if you have coronavirus symptoms

For further information - see NHS England - Coronavirus (COVID-19) information

Testing should be carried out in the first three days of developing symptoms and not after day five.

Essential workers and their families and household members showing symptoms of COVID-19

Essential workers are being prioritised for testing and should continue to book through the self-referral and employer portals.

Essential workers who require testing must:

  • Meet the eligibility criteria
  • Pre-book an appointment
  • Travel to the centre by car - i.e. not on foot or by public transport

The sites are open to symptomatic essential workers and their families who are:

  • Key workers/their household members who have symptoms
  • Those that are currently having to travel to work who fall outside of the key worker group, and their household members who have symptoms

To Check your eligibility - see GOV.UK - Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested - Who can be tested

To book an appointment - see GOV.UK - Pre-book a coronavirus test appointment

Please note: at the present time, COVID-19 testing appointments for the general public can only be made online from 5pm onwards on the day before an appointment is wanted.)

Testing should be carried out in the first three days of developing symptoms and not after day five.

Care home staff and residents with or without symptoms of COVID-19

Care home staff and residents are now eligible for testing either with or without showing symptoms

See below Apply for a care home delivery Covid-19 test kit

Testing should be carried out in the first three days of developing symptoms and not after day five.

Where you can be tested

Covid-19 testing is available to those who are eligible by the following methods:

National Covid-19  testing sites (Essex)

People who meet the Government criteria for testing can book an appointment via the gov.uk website at one of the two national testing centres in the area - Stansted and Ipswich. See...

Mobile Covid-19 testing site (Basildon)

New mobile COVID-19 testing sites run by the Ministry of Defence are now in action in various locations across Essex. Bookings are by appointment only on the GOV.UK website and only for those who meet the criteria for testing.

Dates and locations for Covid-19 Mobile Testing in Basildon

  • Monday 13 July,  10.30am - 4pm at:
    Cherrydown West car park
    Basildon, Essex. SS16 5AJ
    (entrance from Cherrydown East)
  • Thursday 16 July,  10.30am - 4pm at:
    Cherrydown West car park
    Basildon, Essex. SS16 5AJ
    (entrance from Cherrydown East)

Mid and South Essex Covid-19 testing sites

Key workers in mid and south Essex can also access sites in Basildon, Southend and Chelmsford for testing. These are run by the NHS and the same eligibility criteria applies, but the booking arrangements are different.

Home delivery Covid-19 test kits

People who meet the eligibility criteria for testing but cannot visit a national test centre or mobile test unit in person may apply for a home testing kit. This must be booked in the same way as the other tests, by applying at gov.uk

Care home delivery Covid-19 test kits

All symptomatic and asymptomatic care home staff and residents in England are now eligible for testing. Testing will be prioritised for care homes that look after people aged over 65. All test results for care home staff and residents will be communicated to care home managers. To apply for deliveries of test kits visit the Government's online portal. See...

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