Over 1,000 rapid coronavirus tests have been carried out on asymptomatic key workers in Milton Keynes in the past four weeks.
In early January, Milton Keynes Council opened a rapid testing facility at the Central Milton Keynes Library, aimed specifically at asymptomatic key workers.
The local authority, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, launched the pilot to to help understand and drive down transmission rates.
Around one in three people who are infected with COVID-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the disease without knowing it. Broadening testing to identify key workers showing no symptoms will mean finding positive cases more quickly, which helps break chains of transmission.
Milton Keynes has received a batch of 22,000 lateral flow tests for its new pilot, which have been used on local workers within the police, fire services and frontline council staff, including those in social care.
Since launching at the start of the month, Milton Keynes Council say that over 1,000 key workers have been tested so far. They add that there were a number of positive cases even though the workers had no symptoms.
Speaking in the Council's weekly update, Cllr Pete Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes Council, said: "We will be looking to roll out the tests to other key workers soon."
He also revealed that there is "good evidence" that the variant of COVID-19 we have locally is the more transmissible variant called B117. "It is therefore sensible to assume that everyone you come into contact with may have the virus, so you should stay distant, wash your hands regularly, and wear a mask around people you don't live with," Cllr Marland added.
