PHARMACIES are to become places where people without symptoms can access free supervised testing.

From today (Friday), Isle of Wight Council sites are closing in Yarmouth, Cowes, Sandown and Ryde.

Instead, 16 local pharmacies will offer a Pharmacy Assist service, from Tuesday.

It is a drop-in service but anyone wishing to have a supervised test is advised to phone ahead where possible, to enable pharmacy staff to schedule appointments and reduce waiting times.

Residents can find their nearest participating pharmacy by visiting https://maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/ although the site is not live until Tuesday.

Home testing kits can also be collected from participating pharmacies or be ordered for home delivery via https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

County Hall in Newport will be open all next week for supervised testing and collection of test kits, but the site will close for good at 5pm on Friday, May 7.

From Saturday, May 8, Newclose will become a PCR testing site only. It will be open seven days a week, from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Simon Bryant, the council's director of public health, said: "One in three people with coronavirus do not have any symptoms and so can pass on the virus without knowing it.

“Regular, twice weekly testing for people who do not have symptoms is therefore a vital weapon in our armoury in the fight against the virus.

"Rapid testing on a regular basis gives us all peace of mind that we are not putting our family, friends, co-workers or communities at risk, and pharmacies offer a quick and convenient means of getting a test or collecting a kit to self-test at home.

"Make test-record-repeat part of your weekly routine to help suppress the spread of the virus and protect the people around you.

"I would remind everyone that a positive result from a lateral flow test means you must self isolate immediately and book a follow-up PCR test within 48 hours."