Drop-in Covid 19 testing station in Dannevirke on Tuesday

A drop-in Covid-19 testing station will be set up in Dannevirke on Tuesday, with no appointment or symptoms necessary. Photo / File

A drop-in Covid-19 testing station will be set up in Dannevirke, with no appointment or symptoms necessary.

The pop-up testing site, in The Hub Dannevirke Christian Fellowship carpark, will be primarily for people without cold or flu symptoms, but MidCentral DHB medical officer of health Robert Weir encouraged anyone to drop in for a test.

This follows successful community testing in Napier on August 2 and Levin on September 1.

In Levin, 343 people received a free Covid-19 swab. All tested negative.

"The strong turnout at the testing site at Levin shows us that people are, understandably, still feeling nervous about Covid-19, particularly since its re-emergence in the Auckland region."

Weir said the community testing is designed to offer additional reassurance to the public.

There will be no charges at the testing station, which will be open 11am to 6pm Tuesday on the corner of Allardice St and Denmark St. The site will be open for walk-in and drive-in testing.

"We would like to see people, whether they have symptoms or not, coming to the Dannevirke pop-up site on Tuesday," Weir said.

"In particular, we'd strongly encourage those who are at greater risk of poor health outcomes if they were to contract Covid-19 to get a test."

Weir said this includes Māori and Pasifika people, those aged over 65 and members of the community who live with a chronic illness, such as respiratory disease, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

For anyone with cold or flu symptoms, testing is also available at general practices and designated testing centres.