Oxford residents urged to get tested if they have coronavirus symptoms.

The city now has three public testing sites:

• Oxford Parkway
• Oxford Brookes Headington Campus
• Osney Lane

Oxford Parkway is a drive-through site, while Oxford Brookes Headington Campus and Osney Lane are walk-through sites.

More information about the three sites can be found on Google Maps.

Tests at the sites are free of charge but must be booked in advance. Same-day tests are available if bookings are made in the morning; next-day tests if booked in the afternoon.

The Government has produced information videos to explain how testing centres work:

• Video explaining how walk-through test sites work
• Video explaining how drive-through test sites work

People who cannot get to a testing site can order a home test kit, which is also free of charge.                          

Testing is only available for those either with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to sense of taste or smell – or those who have been instructed to get tested by a doctor, public health professional or by their local council.

Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should self-isolate straight away and book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. While awaiting test results people should continue to self-isolate.

The public testing sites in Oxford are operated by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Separately, the University of Oxford has internal testing arrangements for its students and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has testing arrangements for its staff and key workers. These are not open to the public.

The UK now has the capacity to process more than 500,000 tests a day, including from more than 600 testing sites across the country and home testing kits.

“If you have coronavirus symptoms, get tested. Every result helps to track and stop the spread of the virus in Oxford.

“We know some people have had difficulty accessing tests in the past or being directed to testing sites some distance away, so we are pleased that testing facilities in Oxford have been increased and hopefully this will now mean Oxford residents can get a test when they need it.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for a Safer, Healthy Oxford