Covid variant tests accepted by 'vast majority' on doorsteps

Volunteers delivering door-to-door testing for the South African coronavirus variant say they have encountered "almost no negativity".

About 95% of residents had accepted a test kit when offered, said Stewart Baird of Kent Search and Rescue.

Swabs were delivered to 2,697 people in Maidstone on Tuesday, with at least 2,050 already returned completed.

About 80,000 tests are being done in parts of Surrey, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Southport and Walsall.

"The response from the public has been fantastic," said Mr Baird, who is helping to organise a team of about 100 volunteers, firefighters and police officers in the ME15 postcode area.

Volunteers had encountered "almost no negativity at all" on the doorstep, he said.

"For those that are in, over 95% are asking for testing kits," he said. "Almost everyone is asking for the testing kits and handing them back an hour or two later."

He said most people seemed "genuinely concerned" about the presence of the variant, and wanted to help track and contain its spread.

Mr Baird said he was aware of negative comments shared on social media - which have highlighted the fact that testing is not compulsory - but said that it "bears no resemblance to the reality on the ground".

"The vast majority of people are very happy to have these testing kits delivered," he added.

In all of the targeted areas, random checks had earlier found at least one case of the South African variant that could not be linked to international travel through contact tracing.

Andrew Scott-Clark, Kent County Council's director of public health, said the purpose of the door-to-door testing was not just to find Covid cases but "probably more importantly to sequence that virus to make sure we know what variant of the virus is circulating locally".