A new walk-through coronavirus testing facility has opened for those with symptoms to book appointments at Beach Street Car Park West (LL57 1AT) in Bangor, as part of the UK Government’s UK-wide drive to continue to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for local communities. The UK testing programme is delivered on a four nations basis, with the UK Government working with Welsh Government to increase access to testing.

Testing at this site is only available for those with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. Anyone with one or more of these symptoms can get a test at the site, or by booking a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119. The UK Government is committed to making it even easier for everyone to get tested and reduce the time it takes to receive test results.

Testing at the new site started on Saturday, 28 August, with appointments made available each day.

Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, said:

The opening of this new test centre in Bangor helps local people access these facilities without travelling long distances. It’s vital that people get tested if they have symptoms and the UK Government is committed to making that as easy as possible.

There are UK Government testing facilities all across Wales, and the hard work they are doing, along with the NHS and their partners, is playing a hugely important role in our fight against the virus.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not over and we are asking everyone to remain cautious and self-isolate if told so by NHS Wales Test Trace Protect. I urge anyone who is living in the Bangor area to use this new facility and get tested if they have any symptoms”.

The new Bangor site is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history, which has been massively expanded with the introduction of free, twice-weekly rapid tests for everyone in Wales. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately.