The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
No testing restrictions in Scotland, says Sturgeon
First minister also hints at further nationwide lockdown measures
Nicola Sturgeon is “considering carefully” whether to introduce nationwide lockdown measures and has been given assurances that access to coronavirus tests will not be restricted in Scotland due to a backlog south of the border.
The issue has been compounded by a logjam in the UK’s Lighthouse Lab testing network, which means some swabs taken last week in Scotland have still not been reported, and some contact tracing has been brought to a standstill.
Ms Sturgeon said officials were “considering carefully, on an ongoing basis, whether any further restrictions will be necessary for all or parts of the country to help in the suppression of the virus”.
Her comments came as a YouGov poll found almost two-thirds of Scots would support a second national lockdown if coronavirus cases continue to rise.
The survey found 29% were strongly in favour and 34% somewhat supported the idea.
The first minister said she had been given assurances that access to testing will not be restricted in Scotland, despite ministers south of the border warning some people with Covid-19 symptoms in England may have to wait longer.
The UK Government’s Lighthouse Lab network, which is responsible for a significant share of Scotland’s testing regime, has come under increasing pressure following the return of fulltime education in England this month.
Ms Sturgeon was challenged on the issue by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, who said the testing system in Scotland had also been beset by challenges and delays.
The first minister insisted the test and trace system was working well but accepted some people had been asked to travel beyond their home town or city to access a test.
“Demand will be variable and it is not right to say the system is not working in Scotland,” she said.
“We have a capacity constraint in the UK part of the laboratory system that we are working to address and we are
“Demand will be variable and it is not right to say the system is not working in Scotland. NICOLA STURGEON
seeing improvements in that have to see those sustained.
“It makes sense we co-operate with the UK. I don’t want anyone to get anything other than the impression that they should book a test when they have symptoms.”
Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon was urged to do “whatever it takes” to allow more people to visit relatives in care homes during the pandemic.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie made the plea as he raised the case of Cathie Russell, whose visits to her mother are limited to 30 minutes a week, with both parties separated by a plastic screen throughout.
Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon also pressed the first minister on the “hidden catastrophe” that the psychological and emotional impact of separating care home residents from their loved ones could bring.
The first minister stressed the need to strike a balance between keeping elderly residents safe and allowing people to see their loved ones. but we