Coronavirus: Large number of slots free at Poole test centre

As of 11pm on Wednesday, April 29, more than 2,000 slots were available for people to book at the site on Creekmoor park and ride, according to the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) self-referral portal.

As reported, earlier on Wednesday the DHSC said there was "high availability" at the test centre that is being listed as Bournemouth by the government.

Dorset MPs urged residents, who met the criteria for being able to book a test, to make use of the testing facility service.

The Dorset testing centre is open and I’d encourage people who need to to use it https://t.co/1rhrpLjgdN

— Simon Hoare MP (@Simon4NDorset) April 29, 2020

Good news locally on #covid19 testing. Capacity at Creekmore Park and Ride. Test eligibility now open to anyone who has symptoms who is over-65s or has to leave home to go to work. A test can be booked at: https://t.co/bbzpSe2pQJ

— Conor Burns (@ConorBurnsUK) April 29, 2020

Please RT to key workers https://t.co/v1du2gQjLA

— Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) April 29, 2020

Tests are currently available from an online portal for:

• All essential workers including NHS and social care workers with symptoms
• Anyone over 65 with symptoms
• Anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home (for example, construction workers, shop workers, emergency plumbers and delivery drivers)

The government said they will also test anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus that lives with those identified above.

The online portal also lists mobile test units in Blandford and Weymouth, with several hundred tests available at both over the next five days, as of Wednesday night.