A coronavirus testing centre has opened in Harlesden, one of the first of its kind in England.
The type of test offered is the diagnostic test which can show if you have an active coronavirus infection. The centre doesn’t currently offer antibody tests, which can show if you have previously had the infection.
The opening was attended by Leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt and the Mayor of Brent, Ernest Ezeajughi:
Test are available Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm:
Residents are considered eligible if:
- You have symptoms of COVID-19
- You can travel to the test site on foot or by motorcycle or bicycle and don’t need to use public transport
- You have a face covering
- You adhere to social distancing at all times, when travelling to and from the site
This is the number to book a test on 020 8937 4440. Further details can be found on Brent Council’s website.
An article in the Municipal Journal explains why a coronavirus testing centre has opened in Brent:
Brent is an area which has been hit extremely hard by COVID-19. The borough has faced significant public health challenges caused by poverty, low wages and rocketing house prices which have led to pockets of deprivation across the borough. Brent is also the most ethnically diverse local authority in the country, with almost two thirds (65%) of the population made up of people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.
And:
COVID-19 has amplified the existing health inequalities. Evidence shows that the COVID-19 death rate among people from BAME groups is twice that of white people and that the mortality rate from COVID-19 in deprived areas is more than double that in wealthier areas. All of this means that it’s shocking but not surprising to see why Brent is recorded as having the highest death rate from COVID-19 in the UK.
Also, specifically why Harlesden was selected:
… Brent is the first place to open a local COVID-19 testing site which is designed around the needs of the community. From the outset, we insisted that for this to be successful, the national model needed to be adapted to Brent’s local circumstances. Site selection was a key part of this for us. We chose a location for the testing site in the heart of Harlesden, an area which has experienced one of the highest death tolls in the country from COVID-19, with 36 deaths recorded in the neighbouring area of Church End alone. A large proportion of the population of Harlesden are from BAME groups, which we know puts them more at risk from this virus. We therefore wanted the testing site to be easily accessible, within a short walking distance for people in the local area and to attract those who don’t have a car or who wouldn’t travel to one of the other testing sites in the borough.
Here’s the full article: England’s first community COVID-19 testing site opens in one of the worst hit areas
This testing facility may be one of the first of its kind in England, but we’re last in a long queue of countries, many ahead of us who have already nailed testing.
Compared to Germany the UK has been slow to implement testing so this facility is too little too late, especially for Brent which is recovering from having been severely battered by the virus for the last 3 months.
Although it’s late, it’s still needed, let’s hope this centre has what it requires to prepare for a second wave of the coronavirus.
