Haydock set to become a drive-in coronavirus testing centre for NHS workers

Haydock is set to become a drive-in coronavirus test centre for NHS workers as part of the government's push to increase examinations of doctors and nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On April 2, the government announced a strategy to increase the number of coronavirus tests to 100,000 a day by the end of April and Haydock's facilities, which will provide up to five drive-through lanes in operation from 9am to 5pm.

The Haydock site is part of a rapidly expanding network of testing centres around Britain and will operate on an appointment basis for self-isolating key NHS workers, or the symptomatic member of their family. NHS workers will be selected and contacted directly by their NHS Trust.

Haydock: will be able to use the site for racing again once the sport resumesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Health minister Lord Bethell said: "The government is rapidly scaling up the national effort to boost testing capacity for the coronavirus to protect the vulnerable, support our NHS, and ultimately save lives.

"This new service will help end the uncertainty of whether NHS and social care staff need to stay at home, meaning those who test negative will be able to return to work.

"This is a national effort and we are proud to be working with a number of partners to turn this ambition into a reality and roll out additional capacity to where it is needed."

The network of new labs and field-testing sites will provide thousands more PCR swab tests, which are used to detect the coronavirus, for critical key workers – starting with NHS front-line staff.

This means those who test negative for the coronavirus can return to work as soon as possible, and those who test positive are able to recover.

Professor John Newton, national co-ordinator for the UK Coronavirus Testing Strategy, said: "New testing sites such as Haydock Park are a key part of our five-pillar plan to scale up testing, and are critical in supporting NHS staff, who are isolating at home to return safely to work if the test is negative.

"This is a brilliant example of industries and businesses turning their resources to creating and rolling out mass testing at scale, which will help to deliver on our aim of carrying out 100,000 tests a day in England by the end of the month."

What does this mean for racing at Haydock?

With racing suspended in Britain, the Haydock facilities were not in use and will provide an ideal space to help testing reach a new high among NHS staff.

However, when racing resumes, Haydock will have the site back to host fixtures.

Dickon White, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses North West, said: "Due to the coronavirus outbreak, horseracing and other events have been suspended, so we're delighted to provide Haydock Park as a testing site for NHS staff doing such an amazing job for us all."

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