Opening hours at the county's asymptomatic testing sites are being slashed amid an increase in home testing.

Health bosses have seen a decline in people attending centres across Kent amid kits being readily available in pharmacies, workplaces and online.

The opening times of sites will be scaled back from next Tuesday, but people have been urged to still take a test twice a week - even if they have been vaccinated.

Kent’s interim director of public health, Allison Duggal, said: “I am hugely encouraged by the take up of home testing kits from pharmacies and online.

"A home test is quick and easy to do and, with everyone getting out and about and socialising more, it is so important that we keep testing, testing, testing to identify any positive cases and continue to prevent the spread of the virus.

"Please remember to register your test result online so we receive a record of how many people are taking tests.

“We are all aware there are Covid-19 variants emerging that could be more transmissible than other strains. The good news is that we are confident that the vaccine can protect against it but, vaccinated or not, regular testing is vital if we are to stop cases increasing in Kent as they are in other parts of the UK."

A third of people with Covid have no symptoms and there are asymptomatic testing centres in each part of Kent but from next Tuesday until Wednesday, June 30 the following changes will be taking place:

• Monday – CLOSED
• Tuesday - 9am-2pm
• Wednesday – 2pm-7pm
• Thursday – 9am-2pm
• Friday – 9am – 7pm
• Saturday – CLOSED
• Sunday – 9am – 7pm

The testing site at Sheerness Working Men’s Club will be open from 9am to 7pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday. The sites at Sandwich and Sheerness will be closing down on Friday, June 25.

It comes after testing was ramped up at a university after a suspected coronavirus outbreak.

The number of confirmed cases at the University of Kent's Canterbury campus have hiked over the past few weeks.

It was revealed today targeted Covid-19 testing is taking place at a Kent school after a case of the so-called Indian strain was detected.

The variant has been found in a positive sample at The King's School in Canterbury, where pupils and staff are undergoing PCR tests to see if the strain has spread further.

Meanwhile, the Scientific Advisory Group for emergencies (Sage) has said there is a “realistic possibility” that the Indian coronavirus variant could be as much as “50% more transmissible” than the Kent strain.

To find out more and book a test click here while home tests can ordered here.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent