Blues Back City-Wide COVID-19 Testing Programme

Everton Football Club is backing the ground-breaking COVID-19 mass testing scheme, which launches across the city of Liverpool today, Friday 6 November.

The innovative scheme, which gives anyone living or working in Liverpool the opportunity to take a coronavirus test, has received the backing of Carlo Ancelotti and his players, as well as Willie Kirk and the Everton Women squad.  

From midday today, the first six test centres will open their doors until 7pm every night for the next 10 days. 
The test centres across the city can be found at:
  • Lifestyles Alsop Fitness Centre
  • Lifestyles Walton
  • Lifestyles Ellergreen
  • Lifestyles Park Road
  • Liverpool Tennis Centre
  • Lifestyle Garston

Testing centres should only be attended by people who are NOT displaying symptoms.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “I would urge everyone living and working in Liverpool to register and be tested. Taking a test is very simple, in our football bubble we are tested every week, which has allowed football to continue in England. Hopefully now rapid mass testing is available to everyone in Liverpool, it will mean we can control the virus better, help the city get out of tier 3 restrictions once the lockdown ends and eventually allow us to celebrate Christmas with our loved ones.”

For the first day, all the centres will accommodate walk-ins. Testing slots can also be booked via www.gov.uk/testliverpool or using the NHS COVID-19 app. People are advised there may be queues at these locations.

Anyone displaying COVID-19 symptoms can still attend any of the existing centres or a mobile testing unit, which can be booked via www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Hundreds of thousands of tests will be made available over the trial period which will include:

  • Lateral flow test (LFT): a simple self-swab test which will give results in under an hour.
  • Existing swab tests: mouth and nose swabs that will supply results within 48 to 72 hours.

Everyone in the city is being asked to get tested, but there is specific emphasis in asking health and care workers, other emergency services and key workers, school staff and pupils, university staff and students to come forward.

Everton Women manager Willie Kirk said: “This is a big moment for the city of Liverpool and a huge opportunity for us all to tackle the virus collectively. The key workers in our city and across the country  have been incredible and now we all have the chance to play our part. Taking a test will help protect members or our family, our friends and our colleagues. The message is simple -  take the test, follow the guidance and help ease the restrictions in our city.”

More test centres will be opened in the coming days and it is expected that the pilot will last initially for around 10 days, with a view to it being extended. 

Liverpool City Council will be supported by the military in the planning, coordination and delivery of whole-city testing. Testing will also be carried out in new and existing test sites, using home kits, in hospitals and care home settings, and schools, universities and workplaces.

Positive results from tests will be collected by NHS Test and Trace and published as part of the daily case numbers, including how many positive cases are detected with this new method of testing. Results will be received from NHS Test and Trace via text and email. Anyone coming for a test should bring a mobile phone with them.

Anyone who tests positive, using either a lateral flow test or an existing swab test, must self-isolate along with their household immediately and their contacts will be traced. Those who test negative will need to continue to follow all national guidance. In addition, anybody testing positive via the lateral flow testing may be asked to take a second confirmatory PCR test.

These more advanced tests will help identify infectious individuals who are not displaying symptoms and help find more positive cases so they can self-isolate and prevent the virus from spreading, in a first step towards rolling out mass testing more widely across the UK.

To read the FAQs about the mass testing, click here