COVID variants in Haringey
- Update on surge testing in Muswell Hill - 29 March 2021
- Brazilian COVID-19 variant in N10
- Update on enhanced coronavirus testing for the South African variant in N17 - 16 March 2021
- £500 self-isolation support payment available
- Further information
Update on surge testing in Muswell Hill
29 March 2021
We would like to thank all residents within the defined test area of N10 - Muswell Hill, who got tested this week to help with our surveillance of the COVID-19 Brazilian variant. This was following the detection of one case in February, traced back to travel from Brazil. As part of the test area was in the borough of Barnet, we worked in partnership with Barnet Council in coordinating the programme locally on behalf of NHS Test & Trace.
Many of you visited our Mobile Test Unit (MTU) in the M&S carpark behind Muswell Hill Broadway to get tested or picked up testing kits from; the MTU, temporary hub at Muswell Hill Library, Alexandra Palace or our team who knocked at your door. Overall we distributed over 3,000 test kits.
We have now completed our enhanced testing programme in the area and all tests returned to us will be sent for genetic analysis. We expect to have initial results back in four weeks’ time.
Cases in Muswell Hill remain low and there is no change to the public health risk. To keep cases low please continue to follow the Public Health guidance: Wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and practice social distancing with people from outside your own household. You should also get tested regularly if you are part of a household with nursery, school or college aged children or staff, including care bubbles.
Brazilian COVID-19 variant in N10
Public Health England recently found a case of the variant of the virus, first identified in Brazil, in the N10 postcode of Haringey, with connections to nearby Barnet postcodes in N10 and N11.
There is a link back to recent travel to Brazil. The case was picked up through prior surge testing and NHS contact tracing teams undertook a comprehensive investigation to identify any potential spread from the initial case.
Haringey Council worked with Barnet Council, Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care to carry out a localised testing programme in specific parts of the N10 and N11 postcode areas. The programme ran from Friday 19 March to Friday 26 March.
Update on enhanced coronavirus testing for the South African variant in N17
16 March 2021
Dr Will Marmaris, Director of Public Health at Haringey Council said:
“We are really grateful to all residents in Tottenham Hale who completed a COVID-19 test even though they did not have symptoms to help us understand whether there was any spread of the South African variant of COVID-19. Thousands of local residents returned their tests which enabled us to identify that overall cases of COVID-19 were low in the community, and initial findings indicate no evidence that the South African variant was spreading through local community contact, however surveillance continues.
“The London Borough of Haringey will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England to deploy appropriate public health interventions when variants of concern are found including testing, increased genomic sequencing, and other measures to monitor and help suppress the spread of new variants.”
£500 self-isolation support payment available
If you do test positive and have to self-isolate, Haringey is here to help. You may be able to claim up to £500 if you are unable to go to work because you are self-isolating.
You can find details on our NHS Test and Trace Self-Isolation Support Payment page.
Or call our Connected Communities team on 020 8489 4431 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm).
Further information
- Find help and COVID-19 support and news
- Find out more about COVID-19 variants on GOV.UK (external link)
- Variants: distribution of cases data - GOV.UK (external link)
- Latest National guidance - GOV.UK (external link)
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