The number of people travelling to the Isle of Wight for a COVID test has fallen dramatically.
Last month it was reported that 197 people had travelled to the Island’s testing centre at Newclose between 23rd September and 5th October.
At the height of the situation up to 40 people a day were travelling to the Island. As a result, a campaign was started to stop people coming to the Island for a test — with a petition reaching nearly 2,000 signatures.
To travel to the Island for a COVID test, people would have to break the guidelines by using public transport (ferries) to get across.
In the October meeting of the local outbreak engagement board, Wendy Perera, the council’s assistant chief executive, said they were monitoring the situation, with figures dropping down to ‘virtually zero’. The situation is monitored by the council who record home addresses of those who go to Newclose for a test.
Now, latest figures from the Isle of Wight Council, show the number of people attending the Island’s testing centre is ‘now typically very low’, with only 3 mainland residents being tested between 2nd – 9th November, just as the second national lockdown was imposed.
In the last week in September (23rd-30th), 186 people travelled to the Island in search of a test.
Testing problems have seemingly eased in the last few weeks as capacity has increased to cope with more people being tested.
The number of COVID cases is steadily rising — the latest figures from the government show there have been 858 positive cases with a 7-day infection rate at 75.5 cases per 100,000.
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste) the Isle of Wight Council has said you should get a test as soon as possible, self isolate and wait for the outcome of your test results.
Still pathetic that anyone should be travelling to the Island for a test
Yet even more pathetic that anyone travels across continents, who could be carrying such a virus, to come here AND then get given a home for free and treated, educated, and kept for life along with all it produces. YET that happens with barely a mention, year in, year out.
No person should be sent here from the mainland by anyone if suspected of carrying the virus. Only utter stupidity would allow such an event.
Only utter stupidity or an incompetent government that doesn’t know what it’s doing.
They shouldn’t be getting them here, not only do they come when they shouldn’t be, they now take up the testing capacity, bloody typical
I pass the test centre several times a day. It has never ever been even remotely close to capacity. Its normally 90% empty. that said, why anyone would pick an Isle of Wight test from the website when mainland based says more about the person than the technology.
Who in their right mind would suggest mainlanders travel to the IOW to get tested? Wait, I know, that total idiot Matt Hancock. He definitely should be given the boot.
have a covid test before you come to the island