Liverpool City Council’s Ground Safety Advisory Group (GSAG) and Public Health department is strongly recommending supporters attending Everton’s final home fixture of the season to take a lateral flow test prior to the game.
The reduced capacity fixture (6,500) at Goodison Park will be attended by Season Ticket and Lounge Members who entered and were successful in a ballot for the game. The city’s ground safety and health experts are asking all fans who attend to take a test 24-36 hours prior to kick-off - with access to testing across the city being expanded in advance of the game.
Matt Ashton, Director of Public Health at Liverpool City Council, said: “The return of football fans to Goodison Park for the last home game of the season is a landmark moment in our slow return to normality from the grip of lockdown. Whilst it is a cause for celebration, the threat of coronavirus, including the new Covid-19 strain (originally detected in India) is very real within our city region.
“It is vitally important that we continue to protect each other, our loved ones, the community and the NHS. Getting tested when attending events is a key part of that. I’d like to thank Everton Football Club for their support in urging their fans to take this test through their Game Plan campaign. We will mobilise community testing centres to make the tests as accessible to as many fans as possible. We would also like to remind supporters that testing kits are available from various locations within the community and can even be sent directly to their home.
“The test takes no time at all and does not hurt. By getting a negative result, fans will be able to watch the game with the peace of mind that they are doing so safely.”
Everton’s final home fixture of the season will kick-off at 6pm on Wednesday 19 May.
Liverpool City Council will extend the opening hours of community testing sites on Tuesday (18 May) and also deploy two mobile testing units – at the Blue Base the day before and on Goodison Road the day of the fixture. To find your local test centre click here.
Home testing kits can be collected from any community testing site from today through until matchday for fans who want to test at home or alternatively can be collected from pharmacies or ordered and delivered to your home address by clicking here.
