THESE streets in York will be getting free Covid-19 testing kits as part of efforts to keep the city safe and open.

Council staff will be once again visiting communities in the city offering testing kits to residents and encouraging them to test themselves twice a week. This will support the council’s efforts to increase the number of people being tested for Covid to identify symptom-free cases and stop the spread of the virus.

City of York Council say it is not as the result of increased cases in that area or the presence of a variant of concern. It represents the latest drive to make testing more accessible and frequent. As they have done throughout this project, staff will have Council ID cards for identification and will be handing out free tests and advice, so residents will never be asked to pay.

The team will be going out and about on Wednesday, June 9 and Friday, June 11 this week.

On Wednesday, June 9 the teams will visit properties in Eldon Street, Eldon Terrace, Markham Crescent, Neville Street, Neville Terrace, Nelson Street, Stanley Street.

On Friday June 11 the teams will be out on Warwick Street, Walpole Street, Haxby Road north of Walpole Street, White Cross Road, Vyner Street, Fountayne Street, Briggs Street, Scaife Street, Scaife Gardens.

This work further supports Council’s other efforts to get people tested: • Continuing to offer testing kits to employers in the city so that staff can get tested.

• Continuing to offer in-person testing and collection service at the University of York, York St John University, York Leisure Centre at the York Stadium Leisure Complex, Acomb Explore and Foxwood Community Centre.

• Continuing to offer in-person testing at St William’s College with residents, employees and visitors able to access this service.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council said: “In the past few weeks Council staff have handed out over 1,500 test kits to residents as part of our ongoing efforts to stop the spread of the virus. I’d like to thank residents for their support on this initiative and our wider work across the city.

“It has been great to see people keen to play their part. Getting tested regularly is one of the main ways we can all help support our joint efforts to keep each other and our city safe.”

Fiona Phillips, Assistant Director of Public Health, City of York Council said: “We are delighted that we can continue with this approach to have more people in the city getting tested. With the great weather we have been experiencing and the fact we are able to see more of our friends and family, we want to give York the best possible chance of keeping cases down. More people getting tested regularly directly supports these efforts.

“We have had a lovely response from the public, so thank you to those we have visited so far. By remembering hands, face, space, fresh air as well as getting tested regularly and getting the vaccine we can all help keep the city safe and open and enjoy the summer ahead.”