SMART Testing FAQ

If you don’t have any symptoms, you do not need to make an appointment.

Main centres

Our three main centres operate seven days a week, Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Opening times will be reviewed to ensure we are meeting demand.

Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, Longview Lane, Huyton

Volair Kirkby, Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby

Volair Halewood, Baileys Lane, Halewood

Further sites are being planned and details will be shared in due course.

Pop up sites

Pop up sites are only open on specific days of the week.

Prescot One Stop Shop – Prescot Shopping Centre, Prescot, L34 5GA

Wednesday - Friday 8.30am to 5pm

Saturday 10am to 4pm

Knowsley Village Hall – School La, Prescot L34 9EN

Monday and Tuesday 8am to 6pm

Sunday 10am-4pm

For Housing, Stockbridge Village 

Wednesday to Friday 8am until 6pm

Saturday 10am until 4pm

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Whiston 

Monday and Tuesday 8am until 6pm

Sunday 10am until 4pm

Please wear a face covering. You do not need to bring anything with you. However, you will need a mobile number or email address to register. These details will then be used by Track and Trace to contact you if you test positive.

Yes. To get your results you will need to wait 24 hours and then call 119. When you call you will need to recite back to the operator the unique barcode that you were issued with at registration.

Alternatively, you can use a friend or family members details and get your results within 30 minutes.

If you have coronavirus symptoms, book a test via https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by phoning 119. You cannot attend the SMART testing centres listed above.

SMART testing is open to anyone who is NOT experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 who lives, works, visits or studies in the Liverpool City Region. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a test before - in fact we encourage regular (weekly) testing!

The test is available for all ages. Under 18s need to attend the test centre with an adult. Young people aged 12-17 years can self-administer the test under adult supervision, whilst the accompanying adult will administer the test for children aged 11 and under.

The test is available for all ages. Under 18s need to attend the test centre with an adult. Young people aged 12-17 years can self-administer the test under adult supervision, whilst the accompanying adult will administer the test for children aged 11 and under.

No, you do not have to get a test. However, by testing more people we will have a better understanding of the rate of infection within our community. If we can bring the rate down further, then we can put forward a case for moving into a lower tier of restrictions.

We are also targeting particular groups to see how we can potentially use the tests to help ease specific restrictions, such as allowing visitors into care homes. If you fall into one of these groups, getting tested will enable us to help you move closer to some normality.

Lateral flow tests are rapid turnaround tests that are processed on site without any need for sending samples to a laboratory. The staff at the test sites have received special training to carry out the processing. Results are ready very quickly – from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. You will receive your results by text or email soon after you leave the test centre.

Extensive clinical evaluation shows lateral flow tests are accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community, including for asymptomatic people. See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/oxford-university-and-phe-confirm-high-sensitivity-of-lateral-flow-tests

Lateral flow tests have been found to be highly sensitive in identifying those with high viral loads, meaning they are effective in identifying the cases who are infectious and are most likely to transmit the disease. The fast turnaround also allows positive people to isolate quickly, also reducing spread.

You will receive your result from NHS Test and Trace, via text message and email. You and anyone in your household should then immediately start isolating. You can use your Track and Trace number to apply for self-isolation payments.

05/02/2021 - Due to emergence of a new variant of COVID-19, everyone who tests positive using a 'lateral flow' test will also need to book a PCR test. This can be done at  www.gov.uk/get-coronavirs-test

You could be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if you live in England and meet the criteria. Find out more

Please ask family, friends, neighbours or anyone else that you can call on first if you need support to isolate. This will help us to prioritise support for people who have no other means of supporting themselves. If you need support, we can help you to:

• find an emergency foodbank
  • get help with your shopping
  • ask for prescriptions to be collected
  • chat to a friendly volunteer because you are lonely
  • improve your mental health
  • get help with an alcohol issue or stopping smoking
  • ask for advice about an employment issue

Residents who need support including purchasing shopping, picking up medication, dog walking or just someone to talk to, can call the Volunteer Hub on 0800 0073 0043.

You can find out further information about the range of support available here https://www.knowsleynews.co.uk/coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/

It is important to remember that your result only covers the moment in time when you took the test.

Therefore, you must continue to follow COVID-19 guidance such as maintaining social distancing (that’s a 2m distance between you and others), regularly washing your hands, working from home if you can and wearing a face covering where advised.

Remember, if you develop symptoms (high temperature, new / persistent cough, loss of taste or smell), stay at home and book a test through www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.

No. A negative test does not 100% rule out coronavirus infection and it is only at a point in time.

A negative lateral flow test does not constitute a “green pass” and does not change the current rules we all need to follow. The Covid-19 rules are essential to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Positive results from tests will be collected by NHS Test and Trace. NHS COVID-19 app users should input their LFT results into the app.

The current mass testing programme for people without covid-19 symptoms in Knowsley is proposed to last for up to 18 weeks.

We advised you get tested and get tested again. Please wait at least 5 days between your tests.

Individuals that test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR are advised to not be re-tested within a period of 90 days from their initial illness onset or test (if asymptomatic) unless they develop new COVID-19 symptoms. This is because fragments of inactive virus can be persistently detected by PCR in respiratory tract samples following infection – long after a person has completed their isolation period and is no longer infectious.

If a person is re-tested by PCR after 90 days from their initial illness onset or test and is found to be positive, this should be considered as a possible new infection. If they have developed new COVID-19 symptoms, they would need to self-isolate again and their contacts should be traced.

We have capacity to issue thousands of Lateral Flow tests each day for the duration of the programme so it highly unlikely we will run out of tests.

No. All the COVID-19 tests that are part of the pilot scheme are free.