Mass Covid testing begins in R'dam district Charlois

The GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond together with Erasmus MC began mass testing inhabitants in the district of Charlois for the coronavirus on Tuesday, RTL Nieuws reports. Between now and March tens of thousands of people have the opportunity to get tested for Covid-19 , even if they do not have any symptoms.

Eleven testing locations are spread out throughout Charlois, including at the metro station Maashaven, and the exit of the Maastunnel. The biggest testing site at Ahoy.

The health department decided that the second mass testing in the Netherlands will take place in Charlois due to a high concentration of the virus being found in the area's sewage, but few people actually getting tested. By testing everyone in the area, the health services hope to identify and isolate clusters and thereby curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

The mass testing in the district was scheduled to start earlier this month, but delayed due to an outbreak of the more contagious B117-strain in the Rotterdam district of Lansingerland late last year. Lansingerland was given priority for mass testing.