Sefton Council has welcomed praise from Jenny Harries, the head of NHS Test and Trace and Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency for the way it is dealing with the COVID variant first identified in India.

During the Downing Street briefing last week Ms Harries said, “Sefton, for example, has done a brilliant job recently with rising cases of this variant.”

Margaret Jones, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health said: “Jenny’s comments are very welcome and reflect Sefton people’s willingness to work with us by getting vaccinated when they are invited, getting tested including coming forward for the targeted testing for the variant in Formby and sticking with precautions.

“They also reflect all the hard work and dedication by Sefton Council staff and our partners but it doesn’t mean we can relax. As recent events have shown, coronavirus is still with us and we all need to remain vigilant, follow the guidelines and protect ourselves and each other.

“That’s the only way we are going to return to the  levels of normal life that we all want to see.”

Local coronavirus testing was introduced last week in Sefton’s Formby area in response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, which showed cases of the variant first identified in India. Sefton Council is encouraging everyone aged over 16 who lives, works or studies in Formby to attend one of these dedicated local test sites,  and anyone who has visited any venue in Formby over the last two weeks is also welcome to be tested at these sites.

For more information on where to go for local testing, read here.