Question reference: S5W-35938
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 10 March 2021
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 5 May 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when free lateral flow antigen test kits will be available to all businesses, including those with fewer than 50 employees.
Answer
Testing for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms was made available to everyone in Scotland on 26 April. Everyone can now access free lateral flow devices (LFD), for testing at home twice a week.
To get a LFD test you can: order a test kit online at GOV.UK for home delivery collect a test kit from your nearest COVID-19 test site. The site finder shows where you can collect test kits from. You can find further information on how to order and take a LFD test on NHS inform. In addition to this, many groups already have access to routine asymptomatic testing through their education setting or workplace. The purpose of these established testing routes is to support clinical care, to protect the vulnerable, and to support the operation of essential services. Our most recent Testing Strategy sets out the groups we intend to test in this way. Those with COVID-19 symptoms should not use a lateral flow device (LFD) test, and instead must self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test through NHS inform.