Pollards Hill residents urged to get tested for South African Covid variant

By Tara O’Connor and Sian Bayley, Local Democracy Reporters

Everyone living in Pollards Hill is being urged to get tested for the new South African variant of Covid-19.

It is one of nine areas in the UK identified by Public Health England as having had a case of the variant which it’s believed does not have any link to travel from the region.

PHE says the case emerged in early January and the person has recovered with all contact tracing completed at the time.

At this time there are no additional measures in place and any essential workers are told to still do so.

There was previously confusion over whether the enhanced testing applied to all of the CR4 postcode but it only applies to those living in the Pollards Hill ward.

When the announcement was first made by the Government yesterday, only the CR4 postcode was specified.

In a letter to Boris Johnson today, Mitcham and Morden MP, Siobhain McDonagh, said that accuracy of messaging is important to avoid confusion.

She wrote: “I urge the Government to consider the accuracy of the messaging before releasing it. At last night’s briefing the postcode CR4 was publicised as being targeted for testing.

“However, CR4 is a very large area crossing a number of ward boundaries. The area actually being tested is Pollards Hill.

“This accuracy is important so as not to spread confusion and misinformation.”

And neighbouring Sutton Council sought to assure residents that it is just Pollards Hill being targeted.

In a tweet the authority wrote: “Sutton residents in CR4 are not required to take part in enhanced testing after the South African coronavirus variant was detected. The testing is focused on Pollards Hill in Merton.”

Everyone living in Pollards Hill without symptoms is being asked to get a test through a new ‘targeted testing programme’.

From tomorrow there will be a mobile testing unit at Pollards Hill Library car park, another drop place for drop off and pick up tests will also be set up.

And from Thursday council staff will be going door to door with home-testing kits.

It is important to note that getting a regular asymptomatic test, like the one offered at Morden Assembly Halls, won’t tell you if you’ve got the South African variant.

Councillor Allison said: “I want to reassure residents that this is part of a national programme to stop any potential spread of the new variant – it was a single case, in early January.

“But as it can’t be tracked to any travel from South Africa, we want to take every possible precaution – and that means testing as many Pollards Hill residents as possible.

“The more people we can test, the safer we can keep the community. So if you are approached by one of our staff, please let them help you stay safe, and take a test.”

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan has expressed her concern about the appearance of the South African coronavirus variant in nearby postcode CR4 and wants to see testing for neighbouring postcodes.

Today (February 2) she wrote to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock as well as Wandsworth Council’s Chief Executive Paul Martin and Director for Public Health Shannon Katiyo, asking if there were any plans to launch testing in neighbouring postcodes.

In a letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service she said she had been contacted by a number of residents on the issue.

She said: “The new South African variant is in our neighbouring postcode (CR4), which is only separated from Tooting (SW16 and SW17) by a railway line. Both postcodes use the same shops, the same hospital, the same parks, and the same train station (Tooting Station), which is located on the boundary. If the variant is there, it could easily be here in Tooting too. This will be the same across all affected areas.”

She added: “We have seen repeatedly that the virus does not abide by borders, be they ward, borough or national boundaries. If the Government fails to act now, we risk the new variant getting out of control and jeopardising the progress made through the vaccines. The consequences would be fatal.”

The Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary Jonathan Ashworth also asked Matt Hancock about the testing of neighbouring postcodes in the House of Commons today.

Mr Hancock said: “We absolutely do that where it is epidemiologically sensible. So for instance if the case is found on the border of a postcode, obviously we go across that border and we also investigate linked premises, for instance if somebody had a child at a school or is going to work in a particular workplace and then working with the Director for Public Health we will ensure that testing is directed there as well.”

Wandsworth Council has been contacted for comment on the matter.

Those who are symptomatic should continue to access testing from www.gov.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

For full up to date information on the enhanced testing programme in Pollards Hill, visit the Merton Council website: www.merton.gov.uk/coronavirus/test/local-testing

Pictured top: Pollards Hill Library where testing will take place, credit David Anstiss