Parents of nursery, school and college-age children in North and East Cornwall can pick up free Covid-19 testing kits from a site in Launceston from this week – and kits can also be picked up in Liskeard and in Bodmin.

While secondary schools are already carrying out voluntary regular testing of students, the aim is to ensure all adults who live in households with children can test themselves with rapid-result Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) twice a week if possible.

As many as one in three people who catch the virus display no symptoms meaning they go about their daily lives unaware they are spreading it around.

Results for LFD tests are typically available within an hour so anyone who tests positive can self-isolate immediately.

This means Covid will have far fewer opportunities to sneak into workplaces and schools, keeping our communities as safe as possible.

Collection points are at Launceston (Cattle Market short stay car park) every Monday, 9am-3pm, at Liskeard’s Westbourne car park, and at Bodmin’s Chy Trevail car park.

Adults over 18 years of age can pick up a maximum of two kits each per visit for their own use.

Dr Caroline Court, Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Cornwall Council’s lead on Covid-19 testing, said: “We now have collection points across the whole of Cornwall making it much easier for parents and adults in school bubbles to access this rapid testing, free of charge.

“Asymptomatic testing plays an incredibly important role in preventing the spread of the virus, stopping outbreaks before they can happen, and ultimately protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“I would encourage all households with children at nursery, school or college to make sure they get hold of these tests and use them twice a week if possible.”

Anyone who is unable to visit a collection point can order tests to be delivered to their home at www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

Essential workers who are unable to work from home can also access one of the drive-through testing sites in Camborne, St Austell and Liskeard. To book visit https://getatest.vdt.app/cc