OVER the weekend mass testing began on people living and working in the WR3 area of Worcester as it was revealed a new South African variant had been discovered. 

Today a pop up testing site opened at Worcester Sixways. 

We asked the Worcestershire County Council some questions about the new variant and this is what they said: 

Why should people in WR3 and WR9 areas not request postal testing kits? 

Any COVID-19 test will test you for COVID-19. Within the WR3 and parts of the WR9 postcode areas, we are testing for the South African variant. This means that along with looking for positive Covid-19 results, we also want the tests to be sequenced for the new variant.

To do this, we need all swabs which test positive, to go to reference laboratories to test for the variant. This is a complex test and takes 7-10 days to do. You do not need to order a postal test online, as these will not be marked for testing for the variant. We will be supplying home test kits for you to use, which will be marked for variant testing.

We will have more information about these in the next few days but in the meantime please book if you can, at the 2 test sites in WR3. If you wish to wait for the variant testing home use kits, we will be providing more information in the coming days. 

When and how will people, especially those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, get their home test kits?

We plan to arrange to drop off tests door to door in the WR3 and WR9 areas involved. We will also make plans to come back and collect samples. We are working on the significant logistical plans of this, including the delivery of the kits from NHS Test and Trace.

The specific home test kits for this variant testing are not available online. As soon as these plans are in place, we will share that information on the Worcestershire County Council website and social media channels. 

When do people get results?

You should be notified of your result within 24-72 hours, and this will tell you if you are COVID-19 positive. If you are positive, you should self-isolate immediately, this is a legal requirement.

Then the positive test will be sent to the reference laboratory for whole genome sequencing. This takes 7-10 days. We are currently working through with the DHSC how this notification will be received.

Generally this is an academic exercise, designed to trace the spread of various variants in the country but the variant does not change anything for you in terms of how you should behave, if you are positive, you should self-isolate. 

Do key workers get any priority?

If you are a key worker and have to leave home to go to work, you should aim to book a test as soon as you are able. If you are not required to leave home for work, we would ask you, if possible, to be patient, as we will shortly be providing home testing kits within the relevant postcodes. 

Is Worcester Cathedral testing for the new variant? 

Not currently. Tests offered at the Cathedral are not marked for variant testing. If you have had a test at the Cathedral this weekend and you live in the WR3 or WR9 testing areas, and your test comes back positive, you need to self-isolate and have a confirmatory PCR test. Please get in touch with our Local Outbreak Response Team on Email: wcchealthprotection@worcestershire.gov.uk

Telephone: 01905 845491

We will then make arrangements to get a PCR test to you.

Is it not important all postcodes are checked for the variant? 

We have one of the best genomic systems in the world but it still does take 7-10 day to map the whole genome of the virus on each individual sample. 5-10 % of all samples generally go for typing, to inform us about what the virus is doing.

This is a random sample. We’ve had a number of cases of the SA variant in the UK, picked up through this method. A small number have been picked up in a particular postcode area of Worcestershire, which are not connected with travel.

This tells us there has been some transmission and we need to establish if there is wider spread of this particular variant. 

If someone recently tested positive do they still need to do a test? 

If you have tested positive within the last 90 days, you do not need to take a further test. There may be exceptions to this but those effected by this will be contacted directly by the local outbreak response team.

Why can only those over 18 get tested?

The DHSC has decided on this as a sample group, adult population only. This may change and up to date information is placed on our dedicated coronavirus web page 

I’m in WR3 but the checkers says I don’t need a test is it correct?  Can it be trusted?

The postcode checker is validated and correct. 

People have reported having their test cancelled twice, is the system working properly?

We know that there were some teething problems with the system over the weekend and we apologise to anyone who was either unable to book a test, or had tests cancelled. With any complex system which involves lots of organisations, there can be some initial issues in the set up.

We thank everyone for their patience. Our teams have worked hard to address the problems and the system is now working well. There are two sites available to book for variant testing, and they will be in place for two weeks. Our door to door testing kits will aso be available to all residents alter this week.

The booking link to book a test at the 2 test sites is available here.

Is it safe for people who live in WR3 to go to work?

Yes, but please get your test as soon as possible, as a key worker it is important you are tested. If you test positive it is essential, you self-isolate.

You do not need to be sent home if you work in the postcodes where variant testing is taking place. If you are able to work from home, you should continue to do so, following all lockdown rules.

If you are a key worker who must work away from home, you can continue to do so. We are increasing communications with businesses and organisations in the area to explain. 

Do people in WR3 need to self-isolate?

If you are in the variant testing postcodes you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for these specific tests, as long as you do not have any symptoms. If you test positive, you should self-isolate immediately as legally required.

Everyone in the variant testing postcode areas should be following lockdown rules at all times. Only leave home if you are unable to work from home or for essential purposes. Please continue to limit where you go and reduce all contacts. 

Has the stay-at-home guidance changed in these areas?

No. The same national restrictions continue to apply in these areas including only leaving home for essential reasons e.g. you are a keyworker.   

When was this variant first identified in these areas?  

It takes a few weeks between a positive test and a random sample being fully sequenced in a lab. These infections likely occurred the period after Christmas.  

Are we acting too late? Will it not be spreading more freely now?  

2 cases of the variant first discovered in South Africa, SARS-CoV-2 variant (called VOC202012/02 in the UK, also named B1.351 and 501Y.V2 internationally) were identified in the UK on 22 December 2020 and both had been in contact with someone who has travelled from South Africa.

PHE’s Health Protection Teams followed up with both cases and contact tracing was undertaken. 

On the 23 December the government put in travel restrictions from South Africa. 

As of Thursday 14 January 2021, 35 genomically confirmed and 12 genomically probable cases of the were identified in the UK. 

As of Thursday 27 January 2021, 72 genomically confirmed and 33 genomically probable cases of the variant were identified in the UK 

Laboratory work has begun on the VOC 202012/02 in the UK and is routinely undertaken on all variants under investigation or of concern once samples are available and is ongoing. 

Will standard PCR tests identify this variant? 

Yes. 

What areas are you testing?  

We will be concentrating our testing efforts in a number of areas where the new variant has been detected.  

Have these areas been contacted prior to the announcement?  

We have been in regular contact at local level, including Directors of Public Health and local health protection teams. We have also communicated operational guidance to testing sites. 

Why are you not just closing the borders entirely? 

As the Home Secretary said yesterday: “Each of the measures we have introduced has added another layer of protection against transmission of the virus, and that reduces the risk of dangerous new strains being imported into the UK.  But we keep all of our measures under constant review and we always remain ready to strengthen our border policy where appropriate to protect public health."


Surely no one should be coming in from those countries? 

People shouldn’t have been going on holidays.  

 As the Home Secretary said in the House yesterday: “It is clear that there are still too many people coming in and out of our country each day.  That’s why we announced “further action to strengthen the health measures that we already have at the border, in order to reduce passenger flow - so that only the small number of people for whom it is absolutely essential to travel are doing so.” 


Why didn’t you do this sooner? 

On the 23 December the government put in travel restrictions from South Africa. 

All but essential travel already isn’t allowed - so people shouldn’t be going on holidays - and we already have tough measures in place. 

As we have done throughout this pandemic we will continue to take all steps necessary to protect the public and help prevent the spread of the virus. 

And to further protect us from new variants we are taking further action – as we set out yesterday. 

What are you doing to limit the SA variant from getting to the UK? 

The Department for Transport have announced new restrictions for everyone arriving in the country from South Africa. 

From 9pm on 23rd December all other people who have been in or transited through South Africa in that period will be required to self-isolate until 10 days have passed since the day after the date on which they left South Africa. Members of their household are also required to self-isolate. 

Isolation Assurance Service (IAS) is contacting all returnees from southern African countries to reinforce the advice to self-isolate, to encourage testing even if asymptomatic and inform anyone treating/testing them of their recent travel to southern Africa. 

Why aren’t we surge testing for the whole country? 

We are surge testing where we know we have confirmed cases of the variant who have no travel history to the affected countries or contact with a case who has. Public Health England are also undertaking contact tracing and will undertake testing of close contacts of confirmed cases of the variant. 

As we have done throughout this pandemic, we will continue to take all steps necessary to protect the public and help prevent the spread of the virus.   

We are in a nearby postcode, can we get tested? 

We are focusing testing on those areas where we know we have confirmed cases of the variant. But anyone in the local area who is concerned of course can get a test.  

What about testing in schools? And will they close?

We are offering testing to everyone aged 16 and over, even if they have been vaccinated. If you live in one of those areas, but have not been contacted and are unsure whether you should have a test, I encourage you to visit your local authority website to find out more’

At present, schools and colleges remain open to Vulnerable Children / Critical Worker Children and nurseries remain open, this is essential. There are no instructions for education settings to close in areas where new variants have been identified.

This situation is being closely monitored in case more restrictions are needed.  Please check with your local authority for the latest advice.