Rapid testing sites that provide COVID-19 results within 30 minutes are being rolled out across Greater Manchester this week.
The lateral flow tests are being designated for key worker groups – such as health and social care staff, homelessness teams, primary school teachers and support teams – across the borough for the next six weeks.
Tests will also be available to some others who are unable to work from home during the current national lockdown.
It is estimated that around one in three people with COVID-19 do not show typical symptoms of the virus – and Manchester City Council says that the introduction of weekly rapid lateral flow tests can help break chains of transmission by asymptomatic people.
Around 1,000 army personnel have been drafted in to provide support with the rapid testing sites – which will be hosted across all ten boroughs.
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The council has said the testing venues will operate on an appointment basis seven days a week – accommodating work and shift patterns.
Staff will receive invites and booking telephone numbers through their management teams.
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Any positive results will passed on to NHS test and trace system.
A temporary test site in 2020
Councillor Bev Craig, Executive Member for Adult Health and Wellbeing, at Manchester City Council, said: “This by its nature is a very targeted exercise that will help to look after staff and all the people they are with during the course of work, that cannot be carried out at home.
“It will bring more confidence, and allow us to catch cases more quickly, as well as helping to keep vital services running that this city depends on.”
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Colonel Russ Miller, Commander of Army Headquarters North West, added: “We are delighted to be supporting Manchester, along with the other nine boroughs in the city region, by deploying almost 1,000 soldiers – 250 of them in central Manchester – to achieve the city’s priorities for community testing.
“Having already been involved in the whole town testing pilot in the City of Liverpool and the ongoing programme in Lancashire, we have learned valuable lessons and bring that experience to this task.
“We look forward to working closely with our local authority and Public Health England colleagues over the coming weeks, training others to continue to deliver testing beyond that, and playing a part in helping the people of Greater Manchester back towards normality.”
For more information head over to the Manchester City Council website.
News
Uber has officially started trialling driverless taxis in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… driverless taxis have hit the streets of Manchester.
As the leading transportation company looks to bring robotaxis to other major cities around the UK, it has been confirmed that a trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Manchester – with the services being operated using the technology of Uber’s partner firms, Pony and Verne.
Uber said it was ‘excited’ to take this first step toward ‘making this technology accessible’ to people across the UK.
The three companies first collaborated on the deployment of a commercial robotaxi service back in March of this year, combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework.
At this time, there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester, according to The Guardian.
However, posts on various social media platforms – such as X, LinkedIn, and Instagram – by each of the companies this week have confirmed that trials are underway in the city.
“New technologies play an increasingly important role in the growth of our city region,” TfGM said. “But they need to be introduced responsibly, safely and with real thought about what it means for our residents.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will need strong assurances that no vehicles will operate on our roads that pose any risk to residents.”
Manchester, we’re on our way! Today, we’re announcing that we’re partnering with @Verne_robotaxi and @PonyAI_tech to pilot autonomous vehicles in Manchester. Building on our service together in Zagreb, Gen-7 Robotaxis are now testing in Manchester.
We’re excited to take this first step toward making this technology accessible to people across the UK. 🇬🇧
“By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology, Verne’s operational and market expertise, and Uber’s global platform, we’re taking an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places.”
Featured Image – Uber Investor
News
Police issue urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The public is being urged to ‘remain vigilant’ following a rise of scam calls across Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it has been made aware that scammers, who are impersonating police officers, are contacting people trying to convince them to hand over personal and sensitive information linked to their ownership of cryptocurrency.
From the numerous reports that GMP has received, one common method the offenders appear to be using is claiming that a suspect has been arrested and was found to be in possession of the victim’s personal documents – such as their passport, driving licence, or banking details.
On several occasions, fraudsters asked victims about their cryptocurrency accounts – specifically looking for their IDs, recovery phrases, and security codes.
GMP is urging the public to know that the police would never ask you to share this information or move your accounts.
The police have issued an urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester / Credit: Rawpixel | Nordwood Themes (via Unsplash)
“These calls can appear convincing and are being made through spoofed GMP phone numbers but we are urging the public to remain vigilant, especially when providing sensitive information via phone calls,’ GMP said in a statement this week.
GMP is asking that the public ‘be wary’ of unsolicited calls, emails or messages relating to cryptocurrency investments or accounts, and that they never share passwords, recovery phrases, or security codes with anyone, as well as refusing to transfer any money or cryptocurrency to accounts suggested by a caller.
DS Reed, from GMP’s Cyber Crime Team, said these calls are ‘incredibly sophisticated’, and those responsible are targeting ‘vulnerable communities’
“We take offences of this nature incredibly seriously, and our Cyber Crime Team are working around the clock to understand how these offences have occurred, and how to prevent it from continuing,” DS Reed concluded.
Featured Image – Priscilla Du Preez (via Unsplash)
The Manc -
13th January 2021 
