The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fourth Covid test site opens for those with no symptoms
Anew pop-up community testing site for people who show no Covid symptoms opened in Levenmouth yesterday.
Community testing sites, including the latest at the Savoy Centre in Methil, test people who have no virus symptoms but who may be infectious and spreading it without knowing.
The centres also give confidential support to assist anyone who tests positive and must selfisolate, with access to financial support and practical measures, such as food packages.
The Savoy Centre is Fife’s fourth pop-up community testing site – with others currently at the Maxwell Centre, Cowdenbeath, and the Glebe Centre and Chapel Neighbourhood Centre in Kirkcaldy.
All centres are open for two to three weeks before changing location, with the Maxwell Centre site due to close on March 14.
Future locations are currently being reviewed based on testing need.
Josie Murray, NHS Fife consultant in public health and health protection clinical lead, said: “This is a very agile and flexible programme targeted to areas that would benefit most from having access to testing for short periods of time.
“The location of centres is determined by the latest data we have, with a number of factors influencing this including a higher than expected number of cases, low testing uptake in the area, and communities which may be more vulnerable.
“Getting tested when we don’t have symptoms may not seem like such an obvious thing to do.
“However, we know that one in three people with Covid-19 don’t have symptoms. You can be infectious and unknowingly passing it to others.”
Testing at community testing sites is available to anyone without Covid-19 symptoms who lives locally.
People can access testing on a drop-in basis without an appointment.
The Savoy Centre will initially open from 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.
Revised opening times for other community testing sites as follows:
Maxwell Centre, Cowdenbeath: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm
Glebe Centre, Kirkcaldy: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm
Chapel Neighbourhood Centre, Kirkcaldy: Monday to Friday noon to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm Nigel Kerr, Fife Council head of protective services, said: “This kind of mass community testing provides invaluable information to the NHS and Scottish Government and can help them when they are making decisions on lockdown restrictions.
“Of course, anyone who tests positive will be asked to self-isolate, and we know that can be really difficult for some people – physically, mentally but, more often than not, financially.
“We don’t want these things to be a barrier to people getting tested. We have staff on site who can speak to you in confidence and help point you to the right support if you need it.
“So please come along and get tested.”
People should only attend sites if they do not have any Covid symptoms.