THIS is where Southampton residents can get free lateral flow tests each week in a bid to help stop the spread of the virus.

The rapid-result lateral flow tests (LFT) have so far only been offered to frontline and essential workers who can’t work from home, as well as schoolchildren and their families.

But now, the tests are being offered to everyone free of charge in a bid to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

The test kits are easy to use and require people to simply swab their nose and throat then wait 20 to 30 minutes for a result, which they register with NHS test and trace through the NHS Covid-19 app or website.

Residents can book their first test at a symptom-free test site or participating pharmacy to find out how to use the tests, giving you the confidence for successful testing at home.

Southampton City Council’s Director of Public Health, Debbie Chase, said: “With one in three people with the virus showing no symptoms and potentially spreading the virus, getting into the habit of twice-weekly testing and recording as part of our everyday lives will help us to find these cases and help prevent the spread of infection.

"This is especially important at a time when more people will be meeting others and potentially returning to workplaces.”

There are several ways people in Southampton with no symptoms can access rapid testing.

You can book a test at Merryoak Community Centre, Lordshill Car Park, Shirley Baptist Church and Richard Taunton College, or one of the ten participating community pharmacies.

You can collect a testing kit from Merry Oak Community Centre, Guildhall or the following car parks: Southampton Airport Long Stay, Avenue Campus, Marlborough Road South between 2.30pm and 8pm.

You may be able to collect a testing kit from a local pharmacy.

If you can’t make use of any of these options, then you can order tests to be delivered to your home.

Debbie added: “With regular testing alongside measures such as hands face space and fresh air, we can continue to ease our way out of lockdown and get back to a more normal way of life.”