Last day of surge testing for the South African variant in Wandsworth

By Sian Bayley, local democracy reporter

People living and working in Wandsworth are reminded that today is the last day of surge testing for the South African variant in the borough.

Everyone over the age of 11 was asked to get a test after up to 70 cases of the South African variant were found in Wandsworth and neighbouring Lambeth.

Both councils asked people to take a PCR test even if they had no symptoms because these tests can identify specific variants.

Wandsworth Council said at the end of last week (April 23) it had provided just under 175,000 tests and appointments as part of the surge testing effort.

The Office of National Statistics estimates there are 329,700 residents in the borough as of mid-2019.

The number of positive coronavirus cases, and whether there are any additional cases of the South African variant found through surge testing, is not yet known.

The number of cases reported on the government’s dashboard for the borough has gone up slightly, but this is unsurprising given the number of people being tested.

Around one in three people who have COVID-19 do not have any symptoms and can spread it without knowing.

Before surge testing, in the seven days to April 12, the case rate was 26.7 per 100,000 people.

This has fluctuated up and down since, but in the seven days to April 20 (the latest data available) the case rate had gone up slightly to 30.3 cases per 100,000 people.

Wandsworth Council has thanked everyone who has got tested so far and has asked anyone who hasn’t taken a test to book an appointment or pick up a home test today.