Sheffield Covid-19 testing centre forced to close over flooding fears

The site at Meadowhall closed its doors at noon amid growing fears that the nearby River Don could be at risk of bursting its banks with hours of heavy rain forecast over the next few days.

However, despite the weather fears, all Covid-19 vaccination centres in Sheffield are open as normal today.

A Sheffield City Council spokesman said: “All testing centres are open, apart from the Covid-19 testing centre at Meadowhall which will be closed from 12 noon today due to the ongoing risk of flooding.

“Anyone who had a test booked at the Meadowhall testing centre after this time will be contacted by The Department of Health and Social Care to arrange an appointment for them at another site.”

A home test kit can be ordered if you cannot get to a test site. On days 1 to 7 of having symptoms, you can get tested at a site or at home. If you’re ordering a home test kit on day 7, do it by 3pm. On day 8, you need to go to a test site because by then it is too late to order a home test kit.

Sheffield City Council workers have spent the last few days beefing up defences along the River Don in a bid to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic floods of 2007 and 2019 which caused devastation for homes and businesses across the city.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning with neighbouring Doncaster also braced for potential flooding.