Liverpool, Nov 6 (IANS): The first trial of a city-wide coronavirus testing began in Liverpool began on Friday, under which residents and the people working in the English city will be offered repeat tests, whether or not they display symptoms.

In a statement, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said the testing pilot could save lives, stop hospitals being overwhelmed and "get the city out of tier three restrictions", the BBC reported.

Under the pilot programme, which will last for approximately two weeks, people will be offered a mix of existing swab tests and new lateral flow tests, which could provide a result in 20 minutes without the need to use a lab.

Test sites have been set up across the city, in schools, universities, work places and care homes.

Six test centres for people who do not have symptoms will be open daily from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m., with more sites planned, the BBC reported.

Liverpool's director of public health Matthew Ashton told the BBC Breakfast the programme could last longer, saying officials "want to make sure (the pilot is) long enough for us to be able to see the impact".

LThe iverpool City Region was the first area to be put into the very high alert level of England's three-tier system of Covid-19 restrictions, on October 14.

Since then, cases have fallen.

The latest figures showed Liverpool recorded 330 cases per 100,000 in the week up to November 1.

The average area in England had 156.