Rapid Covid-19 community testing available in Inverness, Tain and Dornoch
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Rapid Covid-19 community testing will be available in Inverness, Tain and Dornoch this week.
The community testing programme offers rapid Covid-19 tests for people without symptoms.
Highland Council and NHS Highland are planning and delivering community testing to help people become confident in using Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits.
They have stressed they are not deploying to these locations this week due to any particular outbreak in these areas.
Tain and Dornoch have not previously been visited by a mobile Covid clinic for testing, and Inverness has been selected in order to provide access to the highest number of people.
Testing is available as follows:
Tesco Car Park, Eastfield Way, Inverness Business & Retail Park, Inverness: Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm daily.
Tain Royal Academy Car Park, Hartfield Rd, Tain: Tuesday, 9.30am-3pm.
Dornoch Academy Car Park, Evelix Rd, Dornoch: Wednesday and Thursday, 9.30am-4.30pm
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 testing process takes 10 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).
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.
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.
LFD tests for people without Covid-19 symptoms can also be sent to your home, in packs of seven, by visiting the UK government's coronavirus support page.
Convener of Highland Council, 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 (Covid-19) 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.”
Whilst the unit is being deployed, anyone that has symptoms of Covid-19, or has been identified as a close contact of Covid-19, must access PCR testing.
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 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 be arranged by visiting nhsinform.scot or by calling 119.
