preventing a local lockdown were introduced. The borough has the fourth highest coronavirus infection rate in the country, behind only Leicester, Blackburn and Bradford, according to figures covering June 29 to July 12.
The centre, on Market Place car park next to Middleton Arena, is in addition to the existing testing site behind Rochdale town hall.
Its launch comes as Rochdale residents are being 'strongly advised' to wear face masks in shops, limit visitors to homes to two people, keep 2m apart at all times, avoid physical contact with anyone outside their own household, including shaking hands or hugging and get tested and isolate if told to do so.Coun Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "We are encouraging.