Private ‘fit to fly’ Covid-19 test suite to launch in Wilmslow

A designated Covid-19 test suite is to open in Wilmslow to provide ‘Fit to Fly’ PCR testing and certifications for travellers using Manchester Airport.

Wilmslow based AKEA Life is to open the suite on Tuesday 27th April on behalf of private Covid-19 testing company Salutaris People.

The private testing suite will be based at AKEA Life’s offices at the Colony on Altrincham Road, Wilmslow and will open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am-1pm. Clients can pre-book their appointment through a private booking system with Salutaris People or Test Assurance Group (TAG).

The PCR testing comes with a same day service in addition to a 24-hour service. Test costs for the Wilmslow clinic are  priced at £110 for a 24-hour PCR test, with £175 for a same day rapid PCR test.  The process only takes a matter of minutes and provides private individuals and businesses with a quick and efficient PCR Covid-19 test and certificate administered by qualified healthcare staff. 

Ben Paglia MD of Akea Life said: 

Akea Life is delighted to be providing a designated Covid-19 testing facility at our Wilmslow office for existing medical clients as well as local Cheshire and Greater Manchester residents along with business clients who need a Fit to Fly PCR test and certificate.

“From our Wilmslow test-suite we can provide PCR test results with a ‘same-day’ service and 24-hour service with certificate and ‘Fit to Fly’ from any UK airport.  We are also uniquely positioned just 10 minutes from Manchester airport in Wilmslow providing all airline passengers flying out of Manchester with a local service, administered by trained healthcare professionals.”

AKEA Life and Salutaris People are also operating an express testing suite at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with its own on-site laboratory providing clients with a rapid PCR test plus certificate with a 1-hour and 24-hour service. Test samples from the Wilmslow test suite are sent by experienced medical courier to the laboratory.

The rapid-turnaround testing suite will offer an alternative to less reliable postal kits. Ben Paglia added:

Someone using a postal PCR test could find themselves in a situation where there are delays with their test results or they even get lost in the post. This would then mean taking another test and doubling the cost to the consumer. If the delay is close to departure, that would almost certainly mean the airline passenger would have to take the most expensive express PCR test option.  At the very worst they could miss their flight and/or have their holiday ruined with even greater costs.

“In the case of PCR home test kits, there is a high incidence of ‘unclear’ postal tests being returned by the labs as the airline passenger taking the test at home has not done the swab test properly. There is a significantly greater proportion of test results returned ‘unclear’ when self-administered, as opposed to those being done by a trained healthcare professional. 

“Often a number of ‘unclear’ tests can also be affected whilst in transit in the post system and the way in which they are transported.  We have an onsite laboratory to do same day 1-hour rapid PCR tests or 24-hour PCR tests. We have a dedicated courier service for our ‘back-to-lab’ service.”