Temporary COVID-19 testing centre at Ottery hospital

A temporary Coronavirus testing centre has been set up at Ottery St Mary Community Hospital.

The drive-through service, set up by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust, will only be used by people who have been given an appointment for testing, following a telephone assessment by NHS 111.

The trust is emphasising that it is not a drop-in centre, and only those who meet the nationally-agreed criteria for a suspected case will be asked to attend.

They will arrive in their own car, will not enter the building, and be swabbed outside under a purpose-built awning.

A spokesman for the trust said the centre had not been set up in response to any increase in cases, or suspected cases, in the local area.

The service is being provided by staff from the trust to minimise the impact on the local hospitals where cases have been tested in recent weeks.

The head teacher of the King's School, Rob Gammon, said the trust had contacted the school 'to reassure us of the nature of the temporary Coronavirus testing centre which has been sited at the community hospital in Ottery St Mary, adjacent to the school site'.

He said: 'We continue to receive daily updates from the Department for Education which keep us updated on the government's response to this issue. We are regularly reviewing planned school activities, including trips and visits, in light of this guidance.'