COVID-19 Outbreak Control

COVID-19: Variant of concern in Cumbria - additional testing available now

Cumbria County Council working with NHS Test and Trace to test Cumbrian residents aged 12-30 for Covid-19.

COVID-19 infections are rising rapidly in Cumbria. Public Health England's proactive sequencing work, has shown that the new Delta variant of the virus is driving the increase.

Every person living in Cumbria between the ages of 12 and 30 is now strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 test, even if they are not showing symptoms.

Infections are rising fastest among this age group.

  • Parents/carers will be informed of testing arrangements for school age children by their child's school.
  • People not at school can attend any of Cumbria's testing sites between 8am and 8pm. People do not need to book their test, simply walk-in and you will be tested.
  • If you cannot attend a test site you can get a test kit delivered to your home by accessing https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. Choose the "I have been advised to get a test by local Public Health officials" option.

Tests will be conducted using PCR test kits, not the rapid result Lateral Flow Device tests that are used for regular weekly testing.

If a person tests positive, has any symptoms, or are contact traced following contact with someone who tests positive, they should self-isolate immediately.

There is currently no evidence that the Delta variant causes more severe illness. People should continue to follow national guidance and remember 'hands, face, space, fresh air'.

The more cases of the variant we find, the better chance we have at suppressing it. Please help to keep your community safe by getting tested so we can find the variant and protect you and your loved ones.

Test site locations:

Carlisle RTS

  • Carlisle Lake District Airport
    Irthington
    Carlisle CA6 4NW

Carlisle Cecil Street LTS

  • Cecil Street Car Park
    Carlisle CA1 1NX

Penrith Sandgate Car Park LTS

  • Penrith Sandgate Car Park
    32 Albert Street
    Penrith CA11 7XA

West Cumbria Allerdale House LTS

  • Allerdale House Overflow Car Park
    Workington CA14 9SA

Barrow-in-Furness Town Hall LTS

  • Barrow Town Hall Courtyard
    Cornwallis Street
    Barrow LA14 2LG

Copeland Castle Meadows LTS

  • Castle Meadows Car Park
    Whitehaven  CA28 7RG

Kendal County Hall LTS

  • Kendal County Hall Car Park
    Busher Walk
    Kendal LA9 4RQ

Cumbria weekly COVID-19 situation reports

These reports provide an overview of the current COVID-19 situation in Cumbria based on available local and national data. Further detailed information on COVID-19 in Cumbria is available on the Cumbria Observatory website.


 Title  Date  Size
17/06/2021 1264k
10/06/2021 1845k
3/06/2021 2016k
27/05/2021 2242k
20/05/2021 1989k
13/05/2021 2097k
6/05/2021 1989k
29/04/2021 2133k
22/04/2021 2091k
15/04/2021 2345k
8/04/2021 2076k
1/04/2021 1829k
25/03/2021 2060k
18/03/2021 2193k
11/03/2021 1333k
4/03/2021 1331k
25/02/2021 1165k
18/02/2021 1292k
11/02/2021 1266k
4/02/2021 1161k
28/01/2021 1320k
21/01/2021 993k
14/01/2021 1216k
7/01/2021 1101k
30/12/2020 905k
23/12/2020 1093k
17/12/2020 1076k
10/12/2020 911k
3/12/2020 842k
26/11/2020 925k
19/11/2020 906k
12/11/2020 807k
5/11/2020 1327k
29/10/2020 1276k
22/10/2020 1278k
15/10/2020 1189k
8/10/2020 1016k
1/10/2020 997k
24/09/2020 958k
17/09/2020 890k
10/09/2020 850k
3/09/2020 1423k
27/08/2020 1336k
20/08/2020 475k
13/08/2020 1364k
6/08/2020 1310k
30/07/2020 1228k
23/07/2020 1300k
16/07/2020 1362k
15/07/2020 727k
6/07/2020 775k
30/06/2020 537k


Health Protection Board (Formally the Local Area Outbreak Board)

The purpose of the Health Protection Board is to take overall responsibility for the multi-agency response to Covid-19 and to establish the policy and strategic framework within which lower tier coordinating groups will work.

 Title  Date  Size
13/04/2021 159k
30/03/2021 158k
23/03/2021 203k
16/03/2021 170k


Health Protection Tactical Oversight Group (formally the Health Protection Board)

The purpose of the Tactical Oversight Group is to co-ordinate the implementation of action in support of the strategy set by the Health Protection Board.

 Title  Date  Size
9/06/2021 1845k
27/05/2021 221k
29/04/2021 234k
22/04/2021 234k
15/04/2021 221k
8/04/2021 220k
25/03/2021 219k
18/03/2021 222k
10/03/2021 1333k
4/03/2021 234k
25/02/2021 238k
18/02/2021 241k
11/02/2021 233k
4/02/2021 221k
28/01/2021 261k
21/01/2021 233k
14/01/2021 246k
17/12/2020 216k
10/12/2020 217k
3/12/2020 223k
26/11/2020 212k
19/11/2020 245k
12/11/2020 217k
5/11/2020 227k
29/10/2020 228k
22/10/2020 218k
8/10/2020 225k
1/10/2020 232k
24/09/2020 237k
17/09/2020 256k
10/09/2020 813k
3/09/2020 251k
27/08/2020 236k
20/08/2020 694k
13/08/2020 717k
6/08/2020 243k
30/07/2020 825k
23/07/2020 704k
16/07/2020 589k
9/07/2020 588k
2/07/2020 614k
30/06/2020 513k
30/06/2020 699k


Outbreak Control Plan

The local Outbreak Control Plan describes Cumbria's approach to managing outbreaks of COVID-19. It sets out how, in co-ordination with the national NHS Test and Trace system, the county will manage the ongoing risk posed by COVID-19 through:

  • public information
  • infection prevention and control
  • case finding
  • testing and contact tracing
  • outbreak management 
  • and, if necessary, implementation of local restrictions.

The plan also explains who will make decisions about local measures, and how they will be made, including the important role of local Health Protection Boards.

It is in 3 parts:

  • Part 1 describes the overall strategy and approach being taken
  • Part 2 sets out the detail of the operating procedures that each bit of the local system will follow
  • Part 3 lists key contact details that may be required by people responding to incidents and outbreaks.

Parts 1 and 2:

The plan reflects a multi-agency response to COVID-19. As such it has been developed through the Cumbria Local Resilience Forum (CLRF) and forms part of the overall Cumbria Emergency Plan (CEP) framework.