A CORONAVIRUS testing facility will open at IKEA Gateshead in latest efforts to boost testing in the region.
From Thursday (April 9), the store's car park will open as a drive-through centre for the testing of frontline NHS staff.
Confirming the plans this morning, an spokesperson for IKEA said: ”We can confirm that a test centre for NHS staff will open in the car park of IKEA Gateshead on Thursday 9th April.
"We are enormously proud of the NHS and proud to support them and the government in this small way. We will continue to support them in the best way we can."
The Swedish retailer said it was working on additonal plans, potentially opening further sites across the UK in support of the fightback on coronavirus.
They added: “Prioritising those leading relief efforts and the needs of high-risk groups, we are also working on additional plans together with the NHS, The Red Cross and our charity partners Barnardo’s and Breaking Barriers to support our communities, both now and in the longer-term.”
It comes after IKEA opened its Wembley store for the NHS towards the end of last month.
At the time, IKEA said: “Today, a drive-through NHS Covid-19 test centre has opened in the car park of our Wembley store.
“We are incredibly proud that we are able to support the Government and the NHS in this small way, and are working with them to identify any additional sites that could also support the national effort."
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