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NHS Highland and Highland Council announce mobile Covid-19 testing units for Inverness and Aviemore


By Philip Murray

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One of the rapid testing units.
One of the rapid testing units.

RAPID Covid-19 testing drop-in sites have been announced for Inverness and Aviemore next week.

Designed for people without symptoms, as part of wider efforts to control the spread of the virus while vaccinations continue, the mobile drop-in facilities will be based at Inverness' Eastfield Way Tesco car park from Monday to Friday.

Aviemore Retail Park, meanwhile, will be playing host to its own mobile drop-in testing facility from Wednesday to Friday.

The mobile testing unit at Eastfield Way – dubbed Moves Like Jagger – will be open from 9.30 to 4.30pm on each of the five days, while Aviemore's facility, known as Testalot, will run between the same hours on its three days.

The units are a partnership between Highland Council and NHS Highland, and are part of wider plans to ensure more people have access to Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits. Staff at the units can also provide assistance in administering the tests.

They have stressed that the arrival of the two units is not being linked to any particular outbreak in the two communities.

Highland Council convener, Bill Lobban, said: “In Highland we now have three mobile testing units available to travel to identified locations with a team of trained staff to deliver testing for people without symptoms. Our mobile units can be deployed wherever needed.

"If mobile units come to your area we encourage you to make use of the testing facilities as this will enable quick detection of any localised cases of Covid-19. It also offers reassurance for anyone concerned about potentially being an asymptomatic carrier of the virus.”

Dr Tim Allison, director of public health with NHS Highland, said: “Many people who have coronavirus have no symptoms, and will be spreading it without realising. By expanding community testing we will be able to identify more cases giving us a better chance of stopping Covid-19 from spreading.

“Testing for those without symptoms, asymptomatic testing, will help us to identify those who are positive but do not have symptoms. We can then advise them to self-isolate and therefore prevent spread. Anyone that tests positive with an LFD needs to get a confirmatory PCR test. More testing helps to show us how the virus is spread and will help us reduce risk.”

The mobile testing units will also be operating an LFD Collect service, which makes packs of seven testing kits available for free to the public, to be taken away and used at home.

The mobile unit testing process takes ten minutes, and results are usually sent within an hour, though may occasionally take up to 24 hours.

The test uses the Lateral Flow Device (LFD) and is easy to administer. Results will be sent by text and/or email to those attending, so there is no need to stay on site. Guidance is provided on what to do if a test is negative, positive or unclear.

Health chiefs stress that, by taking a rapid LFD test twice a week, you can help your community, families and friends stay safe and slow down the spread of coronavirus. Tracking down cases of the virus earlier will limit the spread of new variants.

They added that even those who have been vaccinated should still consider getting tested. While vaccines reduce the risk of infection after 14-21 days, people who have been vaccinated could still become infected. No vaccine provides 100 per cent protection against a virus.

No appointment is necessary to receive a test. When you arrive at a mobile testing unit, you will first be asked to wait outside, before being registered and entering. You will then be escorted to a testing booth.

Free LFD tests for people without Covid-19 symptoms are also available to collect from pharmacies in packs of seven, and can be sent to your home by visiting nhsinform.scot/testing, or by calling 119.

The LFD test is used in some workplaces already, including schools. If you already get tested through your workplace or education setting you should continue to use those routes.

People who are displaying symptoms are advised not to travel to the units. If you have Covid-19 symptoms, you should self-isolate immediately and seek a PCR test. Symptoms include new continuous cough, fever, or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste. If you have symptoms, you should also not use an LFD test.

Similarly, you should not attend asymptomatic testing sites if you are currently self-isolating because you have been identified as a close contact, or if you have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 90 days.

PCR tests for people with Covid-19 symptoms can also be arranged by visiting nhsinform.scot/testing or by calling 119.

Related news: Record number of daily cases of Covid in NHS Highland area


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