It’s easy to get a COVID test in Oxfordshire – even over Christmas

People across Oxfordshire are being urged not to hesitate to get a test if they are displaying any of the symptoms of COVID-19 – and there are plenty of options to do so across the county, including over Christmas.

Testing capacity has increased throughout the county during the Autumn, with the recent addition of Woodford Way car park in Witney. This brings the total number of local and regional testing facilities to five, with facilities available in Banbury, Oxford, Oxford Parkway, and Witney. Mobile testing units are also often deployed in various locations across the county for a few days at a time, including Abingdon, Bicester, Bodicote, Carterton, Didcot and Oxford.

Booking is required for all testing sites, and there are plenty of slots available across all the county’s sites. Anyone with symptoms should book at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “It’s essential that you take a test if you have symptoms or someone you live with has symptoms. These include a high temperature, a new continuous cough, and a loss in your sense of smell or taste.

“We’ve been saying this since the very start of the pandemic as testing is a vital way to identify new cases and stop the virus from spreading. In the early days, we had greater demand for tests than the number of slots available, but testing capacity has now expanded significantly. So, if you need a test, there are facilities close by in Oxfordshire and you will be able to book a slot easily. This will give you certainty one way or the other and help protect all those around you.

“There’s availability right the way through the festive period for people who need a test. We know that COVID-19 will not be taking a break at Christmas and so neither are our testing centres. They will even be open on Christmas Day.

“Testing is a crucial part of the whole effort to contain the virus until the vaccine can have a greater impact next year. By taking a test, you’re not only looking after yourself, but also your family, friends and the whole community.”

During the Christmas period, the opening hours at regional, local and mobile testing units will be as follows:

Local testing sites are at: Woodgreen Leisure Centre in Banbury, Oxpens in Oxford, Oxford Brookes Headington Campus and Woodford Way, Witney.

The regional testing centre at Oxford Parkway will close for 24 hours on 22 December for refurbishment work. While this work takes place on 22 December testing will take place at Dalton Barracks near Abingdon.