A COUNCIL has changed its advice on residents going for coronavirus tests.

Now only people showing Covid–19 symptoms should attend Blackburn with Darwen’s five testing sites.

And they now have to register and book in advance.

Previously they could just turn up for a test whether they had symptoms or not.

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman said: “We have been advised by the Department of Health and Social Care that, at the moment, you should only go to any of our testing sites if you have already registered and booked an appointment. For now, you should also only book an appointment if you are showing signs of coronavirus.

“We understand this is different to previous information we have issued but this is a fast-moving scenario – we are receiving new information from government all the time and things are rapidly changing.”

The borough has testing stations at Old Bank Lane outside the Royal Blackburn Hospital, Penny Street car park, Corporation Park, on Blackburn College car park and at Darwen’s Railway Road car park.