As schools prepare to reopen on Monday, the council are urging people to get regular weekly Covid tests if they leave their home for work.

The plea comes after it was revealed that 18 areas in south Essex are almost Covid free.

Council bosses are determined to keep Covid cases down in the area and insist regular testing is the way to achieve this.

They're asking anyone who leaves home to go to work to get a regular weekly test at one of the Southend drop-in lateral flow testing sites.

Not all Covid cases will display symptoms and testing is the best way to stop the spread of infection amongst asymptomatic people.

LFD test sits are based at St Aiden's Church Hall in Leigh, Shoebury Youth Centre in Shoebury and Southend University Square in central Southend.

New sites are scheduled to open over the coming weeks. Click here for the latest information.