Coronavirus tests are set to commence in Nottingham by the end of this week as construction nears completion on the city's first dedicated testing centre.

The hub, at the Motorpoint Arena car park near City Link, is the first testing centre within the city walls after it was moved from Boots HQ in Beeston.

People who think they may have coronavirus can apply for a test at the drive-through centre, which is being built as part of the government's new test and track operation.

Construction started this week, with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group confirming plans are in place to begin testing in the coming days.

A CCG spokesperson said: “The new test site construction at the Ice Arena car park behind the BBC building has started this week and they are working to get the site operational by the end of the week.

“We appreciate all the work Boots have put into supporting the delivery of the testing facility in Beeston and the move from the Boots site now is to enable them to return to business as usual.”

Covid 19 testing Centre at Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham.

In addition to the regional test sites, 116 mobile testing units operated by the Armed Forces travel around the UK to further increase access to coronavirus testing.

They respond to need, travelling to test at sites including care homes, police stations and prisons. New units are being brought into operation each day.

It follows the announcement from Health Secretary Matt Hancock during Wednesday's briefing (May 27) that the government was moving forward with its Test and Trace system.

During the briefing, Mr Hancock said: "This will be voluntary at first because we trust everyone to do the right thing, but we can quickly make it mandatory if that’s what it takes.

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“Do it for the people you love. Do it for the community. Do it for the NHS and do it for all the frontline workers who have done so much and gone out every day to put themselves at risk to keep you and your family safe.”

He added: “And in return for following those instructions, you’ll have the knowledge that when the call came you did your bit, at a time when it really mattered.”

Starting at 9am today (May 28), the test and trace system for England is intended to allow the nationwide lockdown to be replaced with more limited, local measures.

Testing is being extended to everyone with coronavirus symptoms, including under-5s, with primary schools and nurseries set to reopen to some children next week.

Those testing positive will be contacted by one of 25,000 call handlers and asked to share names and phone numbers of family, friends and colleagues whom they have been within 2 metres of for more than 15 minutes within the previous two days.

They will then call those people and instruct them to self-isolate for 14 days, and keep any children out of school. The instruction will stand even if they have previously self-isolated, or had a positive antibody test.