Covid test centre closes doors after anti-vax protests
Staff left ‘traumatised’ by conspiracy theory group
STAFF at a Covid testing centre say they were left traumatised after anti-vax protesters forced them to close their doors.
The centre was targeted by five men wearing combat gear yesterday, the company said.
It had already been targeted by Covid conspiracy theorists on Wednesday.
Lee, a manager at 15 Min Covid Test on Princes Street, Stockport, who asked not to give his surname due to concerns for safety, said: “We had five guys all in army uniforms claiming that PCR tests are not correct, that we are injecting people with Covid in people’s noses, that Covid is all false and a cover-up.
“They have put boards up against the windows with nonsense about what they believe. They are trying to get people to sign up to their protest.
“Our staff are absolutely traumatised. They have asked to go home early - we had to shut the business.”
The centre is one of the latest to open from the company, which runs more than 60 across the country, including other branches in Greater Manchester.
It offers PCR testing and rapid antigen testing and targets its business at people who are looking to travel abroad.
But Lee says the Stockport branch is the only one to have been targeted by protesters, having been affected twice this week.
He said: “It happened a few days ago - people stormed into the shop and started slapping stickers on everything and threatening staff.
“It’s becoming a problem trying to staff that store.
“The two staff that were in today have gone home - when you have five men turning up in army gear it’s a bit daunting.”
Lee says the incidents have not yet been reported to Greater Manchester Police.