RAPID Covid testing is to be launched at York's new community stadium leisure centre.

City of York Council said residents will be able to get symptom-free testing at the leisure complex at Monks Cross from next Monday, following an agreement between the authority and Better York.

Paul Bickle, Better’s partnership manager for York, said the stadium leisure centre provided an ideal location for Covid-19 testing, offering easy access, plenty of parking and sufficient space to ensure social distancing at all times.

"The concept behind the stadium project was always that it would be a resource for all the community and it is fantastic to be able to play a small part in the city’s efforts to battle the ongoing pandemic," he said.

The stadium will join York St John University and the University of York in offering tests to residents, workers, students and staff who are eligible.

The council said more than 20,000 tests have been carried out at those locations since starting testing on December 14.

Council leader Keith Aspden said he was pleased the authority was teaming up with Better York to offer another location for symptom-free tests.

"This is yet another example of how we are working to expand testing capacity in the and how we are coming together to fight the spread of the virus.

“From the very beginning of the project, it was our ambition that the York Stadium Leisure Complex would become an asset of real value to local communities and this new symptom-free testing offer shows how these fantastic facilities are being put to good use for the benefit of local people."

Director of health Sharon Stoltz said that whilst cases had fallen in recent weeks, rates in York were still higher than she would like, and the early identification of cases and subsequent self-isolation if the test was positive was really making a difference in the fight against coronavirus.

A spokesperson said people could book a test if:

•they live or work in York, and are unable to work from home during the lockdown, and come into contact with other people during the course of their work (including working in early years settings, essential retail and construction)

•they're aged 18 or over, and you come into contact with lots of other people as part of your work in any essential sector

•they're aged 18 or over, and you work with, live with, or support those most at risk from coronavirus

•they're a pupil of a secondary school in York, and your school has advised you to be tested

•they're an eligible staff member, postgraduate researcher or student at university in York

Anyone eligible can book at https://www.york.gov.uk/SymptomFreeCovidTest.

Anyone with coronavirus symptoms should go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.