Bracknell rapid coronavirus testing centres to close this month

The decision to close the centres was announced by the Bracknell Forest Council on May 7, claiming that the community centres that the testing sites are based in are looking to reopen for regular groups and events.

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The four centres are the Morgan Centre, Crowthorne (closing May 13), New Priestwood Community Centre, Bracknell (closing May 14), Brownlow Hall, Warfield (closing May 21), and Sandhurst Community Centre (also closing May 21).

Rapid testing will continue to be available at the Great Hollands Pavillion and One Lexicon sites, as the council is continuing to encourage residents to take twice-weekly tests.

Charlotte Pavitt, public health consultant for Bracknell Forest, said: “Alongside vaccination, asymptomatic testing plays a crucial part in our move back to normality.

Both these sites also provide test-at-home kits, and more mobile-testing units will be available at different places in the borough in future.

Morgan Centre. Pic: Bracknell Forest Council

"The rapid testing sites have provided an excellent start to the testing programme in the borough and will continue to provide this service at Great Hollands Pavilion and One Lexicon.

“With people now being able to get home test kits from the rapid test sites and pop up provision, their local pharmacy or from GOV.UK, we believe it is important that the community centres should now revert back to their other civic roles.

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"This move towards normality is only possible with people taking up the vaccines and doing regular testing and we would like to thank the residents of Bracknell Forest for their continued work towards stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

For more information, visit bracknell-forest.gov.uk/news/2021/05/changes-rapid-testing-bracknell-forest.