A Covid-19 test booking system recently launched for people without symptoms is running into problems with many unable to get through to secure a slot.

The Kent County Council-run service, rolled out in Thanet and Swale, is for rapid-result testing, aimed at people who may be unknowingly spreading the virus in the community.

But many trying to book a slot through the kcc.healthit.org.uk website, shared by the authority yesterday, have been unable to get through, instead being met with a 'page error' message.

It is not yet known what is causing the issue, but others using a different link kcc.healthit.org.uk/covbook/home have had more luck.

KCC has been asked for a comment.

The rapid-result testing, taking place at Ramsgate Port and Sheerness Working Men's Club and Institute, has been rolled out in addition to the regional and local testing sites for people who have symptoms.

KCC's director of public health Andrew Scott-Clark says it is important that as many people without symptoms come forward and book themselves regular tests so those who may be unknowingly transmitting the virus either at home or at work can be found.

“Remember, up to one in three people may have Covid-19 without any symptoms at all and with this new strain that is more transmissible, we need to identify those people and encourage them to isolate so we break the chain of transmission," he said.

More symptom-free testing sites will be rolled out across the county from Monday, January 4, funded by central government in Tier 4 areas, to help try to reduce the rates of Covid-19.

If you have symptoms you should not attend one of the symptom-free testing sites but instead book a PCR test https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet