Harrogate Covid testing and vaccination centres to close

A permanent coronavirus testing centre in Harrogate is to close to enable more flexible mobile units to be used.

North Yorkshire County Council said mobile units helped to target areas reporting a sudden surge in Covid cases more effectively than fixed sites.

The Dragon Road car park site will close later today.

It also confirmed two vaccination sites in the area, at Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Showground and Ripon Racecourse, will close in August.

Matthew Robinson, head of resilience and emergencies with the county council, said: "The advantages of mobile testing sites is that we can flex and strengthen as we go.

"We will make sure that if Covid cases are increasing in a particular area we will continue to provide more frequent testing in that location."

He said residents who wished to get tested should use the mobile sites, online ordering and local pharmacies.

He also urged people with symptoms to get a PCR rather than take a lateral flow test.

"The PCRs miss fewer positive cases and they can help us identify strains of variants as well which is really important at the moment," he said.

The decision to close the two vaccination centres reflects the large number of people who have already received their jabs, according to Dr Ian Dilly.

Dr Dilly, who is clinical director of the Mowbray Square Primary Care Network, said they believed the closure date was appropriate.

He said it would also enable the two venues to resume events as restrictions are eased.

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