Community testing centre to open in Tondu

As community testing moves into its third week in Bridgend County Borough, residents of Sarn, Aberkenfig, Coytrahen, Ynysawdre, Tondu, Bryncethin and Bryncoch are being encouraged to visit a new test centre which has been established at Tondu Cricket Club.

With no appointments necessary, the walk-in centre will be available at Tondu Cricket Club from 17-23 March between 9.30am-6.30pm Monday to Friday, and 10am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Designed to identify people who may have coronavirus without knowing it, the community testing is helping to prevent the virus from being unwittingly spread to family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues and more.

Community testing carried out on more than 1,000 residents in the Kenfig Hill and Pencoed resulted in two people being identified who did not know that they were contagious with Covid-19 as they were not experiencing any of the symptoms.

The testing is aimed at residents who are aged 11 and over, and who are feeling fit and well.

Because it is possible for people who have been vaccinated to still carry the virus, residents in the targeted areas who may have already undergone a test or who have received a dose of the vaccine should still take part, although people who have been shielding are exempt.

No booking is required, but participants can speed up the registration process by downloading a Covid-19 QR code app before arrival – you can do this by visiting the Covid-19 webpage at the NHS website.

Participants are also advised not to eat for 30 minutes before arriving for a test.

At the community testing centre, staff will show people to booths where they can carry out a swab test. Each swab is processed upon the premises, and participants will be contacted with the results within 30 minutes.

If a positive result is recorded, the participant will be asked to self-isolate while arrangements are made for them to receive a confirmatory test along with further advice and support.

Community testing is offering people a fast, efficient way of checking that they are not unknowingly putting their community at risk, and I hope that as many people as possible will come and take part.

Council Leader Huw David

Once the community testing has been completed at Tondu, the centre will move on for the final phase of the community testing programme which will be carried out at Caerau Athletic Football Club between 24-31 March.

For more information, visit the council's community testing page.