A COVID-19 testing site is to open full-time in Catterick Garrison as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to increase testing.

The Department of Health and Social Care plans to open the site fully on Thursday this week to increase testing capacity for people experiencing symptoms and to act as a collection point for lateral flow tests.

North Yorkshire’s director of public health, Louise Wallace, said: “We have worked hard throughout the pandemic to increase the level of testing across the county. We are pleased that this new site will increase the capacity and the convenience for residents and will help the county to drive down the infection rate further.”

The site, at Ypres Lines, Richmond Road, will be open between 8am and 8pm seven days a week.

It will be for symptomatic testing only. Later, it may act as a collection point for lateral flow testing kits. Tests must be booked in advance at nhs.uk/coronavirus or 119.