Door-to-door coronavirus testing is being launched in the PR9 area of Southport amid fears the mutated South African variant is spreading in the community.  In an attempt to keep track of the mutated virus that may hamper the current crop of vaccines, health officials will visit homes in the area and residents will be asked to take a test regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.

Southport is in Sefton, and a Sefton Council spokesman today confirmed that one single case has been discovered in Southport.

Sefton’s Director of Public Health, Margaret Jones said, ‘Although it seems this new variant can still be combated through vaccination, it could be more transmissible, which means it could spread more quickly. That’s why it is important we carry out this additional testing to try and identify it and to limit the number of us who might be exposed to it.

We will be setting up dedicated test sites for the new variant and once they are in place, I would encourage everyone aged over 16 in the areas targeted to get tested as soon as possible, even though they don’t have symptoms. This will help us find any cases of the new variant and help stamp it out.

There is no reason for most of us to change our behaviour as a result of this news as long as we are already following the national regulations.

This means staying at home except for essential purposes such as shopping for essential supplies, going to work if we can’t do so from home and providing care. It also means maintaining at least 2-metres’ distancing, wearing a mask or face covering while out and about and washing our hand frequently.’