30-min test heals agony of separation
THEY have endured meetings outside and been forced to use PPE so that they can spend time together.
Now Tom Tait and his wife Kathleen, 84, a care home resident, are among the first to benefit from rapid Covid-19 testing that will allow them to reunite safely.
Mr Tait, 86, hopes lateral flow tests, which provide results within 30 minutes of him taking a nose swab, will allow close to normal visits with his wife at Northwood House Care Home, in Helensburgh.
The Dunbartonshire home is taking part in a Scottish trial scheme launched last week which aims to provide an extra layer of protection alongside PPE.
Mr Tait, former managing director of Polaroid UK, whose wife has vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease, said: ‘Visiting has been curtailed because of the pandemic.
‘At first we had to meet outside, and now we meet inside twice a week for half an hour, and I have to wear PPE. I am happy to participate in this pilot in the hope that we get to the point where we can spend more time together.’
Mrs Tait was admitted to the home during the summer and Mr Tait, who lives nearby, also spent some time there for respite after a heart op. The couple have six grandchildren.
Annette Gillies, the care home’s manager, said: ‘This step forward to returning to increased visiting will be welcomed by the residents and families alike.
‘With the vaccine looming so close it would be devastating to allow Covid-19 into the home again.’