10,000 To Be Tested in Hanwell and West Ealing
Effort to isolate South African variant concentrated on a few postcode areas
The test centre in the Dean Gardens car park
As mass testing is underway of 10,000 people in the Hanwell and West Ealing areas for the South African variant of coronavirus, there has been some confusion around the exercise and what it means for residents.
Questions from the community were put to council and health leaders in a public meeting on 3 February, in an hour-long session which was watched by more than 800 people, according to Ealing Council.
It comes as residents and people working in areas of the W7 and W13 postcodes are being asked to get tested, after it was revealed an individual in W7 had tested positive for the South Africa strain of the disease last month.
But it is understood the person did not travel South Africa leading to questions as to how they came into contact with it.
Croydon and Camden postcodes are also taking part in the national investigation, to uncover how far the variant has spread within some communities.
Residents were told at the meeting by Ealing Council’s public health director Anna Bryden, that there is no evidence the South African variant is more dangerous than other strains, and there is no evidence the vaccines do not protect against it. People will also experience the same symptoms as the established strain of Covid-19.
She also revealed while the strain does spread more quickly compared to the “original” UK variant, it is similar to the new UK strain which has developed over time in the country since last year.
A key question asked was why the maps had been drawn up of the affected area, which in some cases splits off the same street.
Public Health England London’s deputy director for health protection, Deborah Turbitt, said it was done based on postcodes to reach the intended 10,000 number, which she said: “If there has been transmission we should be able to find that in that size of population.”
The postcodes being used are W7 1, W7 2, W7 3, W13 0, W13 9.
But Ms Bryden added, “If somebody lives just down the street cut in half of that map, we’re not going to turn anyone away from the testing.
“Other people living a few streets away and in other parts of borough we’re not asking you to get a test.”
Dean Gardens Car Park became a mobile testing unit site on 1 February, with bosses updating the meeting saying that 749 tests have been carried out there so far.
Home testing kits are also being delivered door-to-door by council staff in the affected area. And it was revealed 1,000 were delivered in the first day of rounds on 3 February.
Chief executive of Ealing Council Paul Najsarek explained how staff were starting in the west of the area, moving east over the next few days to reach households.
They are expected to have clear identification from the council, and will only ask you one question – ‘how many people over 16 there are in the household.’
He added: “Then about two hours later, a same member or different member will knock back on the door again and they will pick up the test kits from you…hand that back the person and it’ll go to lab…
“Our approach seems to be working and has been well received on the doorstep.”
Confusion over whether people should still be going out to work if they live or work in the area was also addressed.
Ms Bryden said, “We are not in a form of local lockdown, we are just following the normal national restrictions, so businesses etc are to remain functioning as they currently are.
“We’re not asking nurseries to close or anything like that. So just carry on doing what you’re doing, the only additional request is to take a test.”
Council leader Julian Bell added: “I think there’s been a bit confusion from the Secretary of State [Matt Hancock] saying to people you must stay at home and wait until you get the home testing kit, and don’t leave home, without clarifying probably fully, that national lockdown rules are the rules that still apply in W7 and W13 areas…
“Clearly there’s got to be an element of common sense and caution. If I was living in that area I would probably be more cautious about going out for essential purposes to get food etc.
“And that’s what we’re saying if you’re out and about because of your work, go and get a test at Dean Gardens, but otherwise wait and stay at home.”
Dr Turbitt explained that any positive test results will be passed on to a lab for genome testing for the South Africa variant. The analysis can take up to two weeks.
Asked what will happen if further cases of the variant are found in the community, Dr Turbitt added, “What we want to do is understand if other people in local communities have also caught the virus from the very few introductions that there must have been…
“Obviously if there has been much more widespread transmission than we think there has at the moment, the government will take a view on what we should do, we’re already in a national lockdown, we can’t be in more of a national lockdown.
“It’s possible that the government may want to put additional restrictions in if they see widespread transmission, of the more transmissible virus, but they haven’t indicated to us that they’re thinking of putting in any additional measures.”
To play back the public meeting click here.
To find out more about Ealing Council’s work on the variant and advice for residents click here.
To book a test click here.
Anahita Hossein-Pour - Local Democracy Reporter
February 9, 2021